A year has passed already...

Elder Skoubye is doing great. He has just passed his one year mark! He loves serving the Lord. Thank you all so much for the prayers you offer on behalf of all missionaries everywhere. Those prayers help the missionaries to find strength and energy to serve the Lord to their fullest potential. 

We are grateful for your friendship and wanted to wish each of you a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah, and a Happy Winter Season.  

If you get a chance check out this link: It is a great Christmas message.

Missionaries serving in Elder Skoubye's mission

More missionaries!

Missionaries serving in the Centralia, Washington area

View from Elder Skoubye's apartment window

Even Missionaries take selfies!!

Handsome, right?

Elder Skoubye's companion, Elder Hernandez

11/30/15

There are challenges but they aren't too bad. I think it would be sweet if mom could come here and whip my companions into shape and teach them how to clean and keep things clean.... Anyways besides that I am just really grateful for all mom taught me.

We also had a really good visit with James Taylor who is a recent convert and it went really well. We talked about the tree of life and the iron rod and how it can make a difference in his life. He really opened up and told us how he first gained interest in the Church and how it was through the service that members provided to help clean up from a big flood that they had 10ish or so years ago. It was pretty cool. Those service projects after natural disasters really do help people to accept Jesus Christ in their lives, even if it is just to prepare the soil for a seed to be planted. I think some people’s hearts just need a little tilling first:)

Thanksgiving was good but also torturous. I cannot eat any where close to what I could before the mission. We went to two houses for the dinners. We didn't get to go to the third house for dessert because the second house went long. We weren't allowed to proselyte on Thanksgiving so after the second house we went home and laid down. I was super full. I only had one plate at the second house and it took forever to eat. But its okay because the members also only had one plate and ate slow too! They also enjoyed having us over. Then in the evening we went over to the old stake presidents house and played board games with the other missionaries in the stake, it was pretty cool:)

Quisiera compartir que se que la abilidad que tenemos aqui en este mundo para arrepentirnos y llegar a ser personas como Cristo es una gran bendicion. Estoy muy agradecido por el Evangelio de Jesucristo y la oportunidad que tengo a cambiar. Se que la obra misonal es de Dios, y se que su obra seguira adelante aun que haya mucha opposicion. Dios nos ama y quiere que mejoremos.

11/23/15

…It would be way could if people would be like King Lamoni and even better would be to be (like) his father. It was because of his father that so many more people were able to come to the gospel! (He gave the missionaries a lot of referrals:)

I think my best experience so far has been with Josh Barrak. We had a 'Why I Believe' fireside last night and it was really great! We got to sing the EFY medley, Amazing Graze, Battle Hymn of the Republic, and Called to Serve. It is when we sing songs and the recent converts get to bear their testimonies. Josh gave a wonderful talk about his conversion process and how it took twelve years. He is now in the Elders Quorum presidency. He talked about how I played an instrumental role in his conversion process. He sent me an email last night as well. It was pretty cool; he said he was impressed by my patience with him and my testimony. He is a great member. I am very impressed by him. I am really grateful to have been able to help him to make the decision to be baptized and to follow the example of Jesus Christ. He is doing a great job at keeping that covenant to! That is probably the coolest thing:)

The most challenging (things on a mission) are the companions. But I am thankful for them, I am learning a lot from them. What to look for in a future wife and what to run from:) Also I learn things not to do from them.

11/16/15

…We found this really cool family. They have four daughters. Like you said, families are the most ideal. They are also good friends with a family in the ward, and we are looking forward to their progress. We are meeting with them tonight for the second time. Hopefully it goes well:)

In Spanish we don't have any super solid investigators but it is possible that one man will be baptized in two weeks. He isn't an investigator right now but he comes to church every week. I was talking to him on Sunday and he wants to be baptized and he has been taught all of the Lessons twice. He said that there is nothing that is holding him back as well. So we just have to meet with him and make sure he is really for baptism and then get that set up:) He is a really cool guy. It is funny because he drinks a monster during Church that he keeps in the front pocket of his shirt.

11/2/15

Halloween was pretty interesting, but it was a lot of fun. We got to go to the Stake Center at 3-8 and then we went home. We got to play a little bit of knockout and some board-games. I found Settlers of Catan to be pretty fun. Also, we ate pizza and got to watch 17 Miracles. It was really good; it is amazing to see how much the pioneers sacrificed to be able to get to Zion. It was also amazing to see the miracles that took place with those pioneers as they went across the wilderness with the handcarts. I guess it is called 17 Miracles for a reason. One of the miracles was the lady who went into the cave and a man gave her beef jerky. I remember how we were given beef jerky when we went on trek and I thought that was pretty cool. Trek was pretty cool when we were able to go on it. You and Dad were cute together to!

Day light savings was pretty cool; we got to sleep in for an extra hour! That is probably one of the most uncommon things to happen on the mission! 

Also it has started to rain more lately and it was flooding. Elder Hernandez and I were Knocking on Doors and to cross some or the intersections we had to wade through the water! It was pretty fun:)

Also it is incredible to think how important the Atonement is to Gods plan for us. It is key to the Gospel of Jesus Christ. Without the Atonement we would not be able to be forgiven of our sins or make it back to live with God again. I know that Jesus Christ died for us. I know that if we listen to him and live his gospel the way we see ourselves will change and our view of the world around us will change.

10/26/15

This past week has been really good. We had an amazing lesson yesterday about the Atonement. It was taught by Hermano Del Bosque. The old Ward mission leaders son in Shelton. We read from Alma 7:11-13or 14 and we talked about the girl who wanted to buy a bike and did all that she could to save up money to buy the bike but only got a few dollars but that was all she could do. Then her dad paid for the rest. That is a lot like us and how the Atonement. Sometimes feeling like you have to shoulder it all just weighs you down to much. But knowing that Christ is there to take care of the rest that we can't is so uplifting and wonderful.

Transfers are tomorrow and I am going to stay here in Centralia with Elder Devenburg, and Woolston. Elder Delgado is going back to the Tacoma area in Lakewood.  The craziest/coolest part is that I am going to be companions with Elder Hernandez again! He is coming down from Lakewood. I think it will be pretty cool.

10/12/15

You are right, the gospel doesn't solve our problems. But, it does give us hope. I liked how Elder Franks described hope. He said he looked it up in the dictionary and it was lame, used the word hope in the definition. He went to the Spanish word for hope, esperanza, and he said it meant to hope, wait, and expect. I thought that was really neat because if we have hope then we patiently wait and expect that things will improve. That doesn't mean that you wait and do nothing. The gospel if lived it does solve many problems and it gives us a new perspective and outlook on life.

We have some pretty cool investigators. A few of them come from some pretty rough backgrounds. Josh, Nicole, and Kaylie. Kaylie really wants to be baptized and was pretty upset when the ward mission leader told her that she has to come to two Sacrament meetings at church in order to be baptized. But she really wants to and I think it will all turn out okay and I think she will be baptized on the 18th or on the 24th of this month! Josh and Nicole are her 'guardians' in a way. She lives with them even though she isn't their biological kid. Josh and Natalie are still working on getting married but that is going to take a little while. In the meantime, Josh is being one of the best ward missionaries, even though he isn't a member yet. He introduced us to Kaylie as well as Natalie I believe, and then he brought a friend named Andrew to Church as well!

Also, we knocked into a guy named Hugo and he is pretty cool and it seems that he is actually willing to read the Book of Mormon and so we are going to meet with him again tomorrow. As well as this lady named Carla, she and her boyfriend Travis seem really open. As well as another lady named Dolores. These people seem to have a lot of potential.

Being laid back is good, not so black and white. But I am pretty black and white I would say. It works pretty good, it just allows you to connect more with the people, but can't be so laid back where you forget about your purpose.

The mission is really cool overall, I am learning a lot.

10/5/15

I know that God has called the men that he has for a reason and that if we heed their prophetic counsel we will be truly happy and be able to live with God and our families after this life.

Conference was amazing!! I really liked Elder Viñas talk and the one before or after him, I didn't bring my notes to the library so I will have to go off of memory. I really liked how throughout the conference that keeping the Sabbath Day Holy was brought up multiple times. I have come to believe that it is really important. Also, I really like the Prophet Thomas S. Monson and his talk during the priesthood session and keeping the commandments, I thought it was some really good advice and a great talk. Also the talk on Sunday about the barriers in the ocean and how they are like the commandments and how sometimes we don't know why the barriers are there and like the surfers we get upset until we see what the real danger is if we cross the barrier and how life threating the other side really is. I also really like the talks about repentance, they were really good, I know that it is through repentance that we can become "white as snow". Sometimes it can be hard, just like the person who dug a hole and made a swimming pool out of it and had to get sprayed clean with the hose for what felt like to him an eternity. I also really like the one about how we need to put the gospel in the center of our lives so that when we are on the 'clay spin will' that Jesus Christ can mold us, if we don't keep the commandments and aren't centered on living the gospel of Jesus Christ than he won't be able to mold us. Another talk that I really liked was the one that talked about ponderizing. Is that in the dictionary yet? Maybe someone will put it in soon. I think if everyone starts doing that they will be some of the best missionaries and know what scriptures apply to which people and how to use them to help people come unto Christ.

Overall I really loved conference. It fascinated and moved me more than it ever has before, I felt the Holy Spirit so strong and I know that what they were teaching is true. Now the difficult part is just making sure to apply it. Line upon line and precept upon precept and I think it will go pretty well.

9/28/15

Centralia is pretty interesting. It has got a wide variety of different people on the economic scale. Some on the poorer side and some who are doing well. There seems to be more Hispanics here then there was in Shelton. However, I have not knocked all of Centralia.

Being in a foursome is very interesting, we get a lot of new investigators and a lot of the time you have no idea who they are because the other companionship found them.

The ward/branch feed us very well. We have food pretty much every day. The branch also feeds us pretty regularly and we have gotten to try some cool Peruvian food lately. We have gotten to drink Chicha Morada which is a crushed purple corn drink and it tastes and smells exactly like bubble gum!

Some of the challenges here are only having one car among the 4 of us and using bikes when you don't have a car. Another is that the branch wants us to only focus on doing Spanish work, however, we are both English and Spanish and that wouldn't be a good use of time. It might be possible if they had a higher Spanish speaking population.

But other than that things are going really well. My bloods sugars have been pretty good. Elder Delgado actually talks to me in Spanish while we knock doors. The foursome is a lot of fun as well.

Also, Church was really good, we had a really great lesson about Service and how Jesus Christ being our leader served those around him. It is amazing how the Son of God being perfect would take time to serve us. I think that it is the quality of a great leader, one who is willing to serve those around him. I am really grateful for Jesus Christ and his example, he was the Son of God and showed us the way to return to live with our Heavenly Father. I know he lives.

It's been a while...

9-21-15

The new area is really good! We are living in the upstairs part of someone's house...I still haven't met them yet. But it is pretty nice and I don't think I brought any bed bugs with me. So far so good. But in the ward and the Branch we get fed a lot, which is awesome! Sis Hansen brought us two gallons of milk and 4 boxes of cereal and 20 bananas this morning! It was way cool, she even let us choose what cereal we wanted! We got Life and Cinnamon Toast Crunch.  The ward Mission leaders here are really cool. The one for the English Ward, Brother Sadler, lives right next to us and grows grapes amongst many other things and has been juicing his grapes and giving us grape juice and it is really good.

During studies today I was reading in 2nd Nephi and I was learning about Nephi and prayer and it talked about how he was praying for his brothers to stop murmuring and it only got worse. I thought that was pretty cool because it show's how God answers prayers in his way and we just have to look for it. It turned out that Nephi was told to take those who would go with him and leave, to a part of the land where he could live with the righteous away from his wicked brethren. It talked about how they had true happiness, and that is so true, when you live the principles of the Gospel God blesses you and you become truly happy!

9-14-15

Jacob and Steven Catlett got baptized and confirmed this weekend! They were really excited! Also Abraham got baptized and was sick/not feeling well and didn't come to Church because he wasn't feeling well so we didn't get to confirm him. That will be next week.

I got to give a talk in the Spanish branch on Sunday and it was about Repentance. I compared repenting to a baby learning how to walk and getting back up and keeping on trying and how when we stumble, fall, get scratched, cut, or bruise it is the atonement that can heal us through repentance. I know Jesus died for us, I know that through his atonement we can repent and truly be forgiven. Whatever weight that hangs on our shoulders can be lifted and we can find peace of mind to know that even though we aren't perfect we are progressing towards are Heavenly Father. I am really grateful for the atonement, it is something to be remembered and used everyday. I am grateful that Jesus died for me and all those around me.

I know the gospel is true. It really does make one happy especially when they live it! It is pretty cool to be a part of it. Te agradezco por su testimonio y lo que has hecho por mi, y gracias por ser un buen ejemplo en todo lo que haces.

So the bed bugs are way fun! We had a pest guy com and Spray the place today and that was good and I asked him a ton of questions. So I got bed-bug killer Spray and Bed-bug bug bombs. I am going to exterminate the little arch-nemesis's. Apparently it is illegal for them to fumigate the apartment. But we can do it, that is why we got the Bed bug Foggers, we set off three of them! They better die, we even stood the mattresses and box springs up leaning together teepee style so they can get extra fumigated. No way those stinkers are going to make it.

I am getting transferred to Centralia tomorrow! I am really excited to take on a new area, will definitely be happy for some change. I am going to be companions with Elder Delgado, he is super cool, and he is from Peru! I am going to be in a foursome and we will be training another new missionary.

9-7-15

I know that Jesus Christ is my Savior and that he paid the price for anything and everything. He is the key to Gods plan of happiness for us. 2Nephi 2 25

A lot of people tell us that they have already been saved and that they already have Jesus in their life. Then some people are more open and are willing to listen and say that they want to follow Jesus Christ the best that they can, like Charles who we met the other day. Some people are polite and some are rude, I have run into a number of different people.

I want to tell you that I know Jesus Christ died for each and every one of us! We just have to live his teachings. It is through him that whatever burdens our lives can be lifted and we can be set free!

8-31-15

The Priesthood is such a blessing. There was an older lady in the ward who wanted a blessing because she was worried about some new medicine she started taking and a member was asking us if we would be able to give her a blessing and so we went and it was really cool. God really does care about his Children and has given us responsibility to help and take care of those around us. It is cool to see what a blessing things are for their lives.

Being a more relaxed missionary has really helped a lot lately, it has led to more teaching opportunities and people open up better and it is more fun:) People like Maria and Martin open up and they even told us why Hispanics say that they are catholic and close their door. It is because they are some people in (I think they are from Mexico) start a church just to take money from the people and some people give just about everything they have and then the person who started it takes all the money and leaves the area and leaves the people just about destitute and without much. Martin said that people will just be out on the street crying when that happens. So if that is true it makes a lot more sense why people who are Hispanic don't feel open all of the time. That is why member missionary work is important.

Also, I totally agree about applying what you learn on your mission to the way that you live after the mission. I think that you learn so many invaluable skills. No better way than to put them to work by getting a job and going to school and studying the scriptures each day so that you can continue to grow spiritually.

As I go about learning about the Gospel my testimony keeps on growing! I know the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I have been taking notes as I read it and it applies to us so much. It really was inspired for those in the Latter-days.

8-24-15

As for my Spanish, I'm not native...yet, but I am fluent(can hold a conversation and understand decently) but there is a lot of ways that you can define fluent.

We had exchanges this week with the Zone leaders and it was pretty cool. I got to stay in Shelton and Elder Cooper came here. He used to be a Spanish missionary and so it was cool to be able to be with someone who could actually speak Spanish and listen and understand. He is a really good missionary. It is interesting to see the different teaching styles some missionaries have. Some are more laid back and connect better with people and still get the job done and some are more uptight. I have been trying to be more laid back but not in a bad way, still focusing on bringing souls to Christ but just trying to connect with them more personally.

I do want to let you know that I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I felt that confirmed to me as we were teaching Abraham about the Restoration. Also in companionship study today we studied about the Holy Ghost and recognizing the promptings of the Spirit and read some of the scriptures on page 96 of PMG. It was really cool to realize that the Spirit has been with me a lot more than I realized! I was thinking about Alma 32:28 and just how I really like the Book of Mormon and how it has 'enlarged my soul' and become 'delicious to me' and that strengthened my testimony a lot as well!

8-17-15

I am glad that the people there haven't forgotten about me. I really like the people in Pennsylvania! 

This past week we have talked to a whole lot more Hispanics then I have for a while! It has been really cool. It is interesting to see there culture. We knocked on a house with some people from Guatemala and taught one of the guys that lived there on the doorstep and then we asked if we could say a prayer with him. He said yes and then walks inside, gets the other three people together and gives us each a bottle of water and then we all knelt down and he looks over at me and says 'comienza la oración' so I thought cool! Then I started praying and then they all chimed in, it was really interesting...I think they were praying in Mam (pronounced mum), not in Spanish but I am not sure. It was so different and I had to smile at thinking that Elder Nelson must be freaking out right now. I was a little shocked myselft! But I kept praying and they kept praying and when I finished they said amen. Then the next door gave us cold water bottles and I was really thankful for them because I was thirsty:)

¡Deseo que sepa que te quiero! Todo va bien aquí:) La obra misional es difícil pero me gusta. Estoy aprendiendo tanto y no hay otro lugar donde quiero estar. Soy un pescador de hombres aquí, es diferente cuando estuve allí porque allí pesque los peces y aquí los hijos de Dios. 

8-10-15

Today my crazy story is that I went to the Beauty School to get a haircut...I won't ever do that again, it turned out okay but I didn't like it to much. So I went over to Bella Vista, the Hispanic store that a member owns and had Isaac fix it up for me, it looks better but I still can't believe what I was thinking. I will definitely pay the extra 7 dollars to go to a barber shop or just see if the members can cut it for me.

8-3-15

Church was really good this week, I went to the English Ward and so I missed  the Spanish Branch. But, luckily I didn't have to speak this week:) It was a lot more relaxing!

I had never thought about how in missionary work you are anxiously engaged in a good cause! I guess now it is just finding what activities are better than other ones even if they are both good, I guess that can be the hard part sometimes.

Things are going really well here, the Bishop is trusting us a lot and giving us names to go and visit of less actives to help get them to Church, it is working out really well. Other than that we knock a lot of doors and study and teach people, we will hopefully find some people who are searching like Patrick, if they aren't searching or wanting it then they most likely wont keep commitments and then they can't be baptized.

7-27-15

Here in Washington they have tons of Blackberry Bushes everywhere and they are soo good! You can just pick them as you walk down the street because they grow wildly. I also updated Mom on the talks that I gave on Sunday, They both ended up being about 20 minutes! That is a long time! Felt like a high councilman. It is also a lot easier to tell stories in English. I told the story of Amanda Barnes Smith for the story about the Pioneers. It was hard to describe it because I didn't know the word for hip or for ashes but I found out after Sacrament meeting what they are, cadera y cenizas. For the missionary work talk I used Alma 13-34 and used it to explain how to share the gospel with your friends and to seek to invite people unto Christ and seeking the Spirit as being key points for member missionary work.

We have a lot of Investigators in English and a few in Spanish. Almost not enough time to do it all but it works out really well in the end. 

Sounds like the youth had a great time on the mini-missions, I am really glad that Carlos was able to go! I definitely agree with what Amy was told, "They don't care how much you know, until they know how much you care." I think that that is so true, that even applies to the less actives, sometimes they just think that you are visiting them because you have to but until they see that you actually care about them they wont change at all. 

7-20-15

Last night we had the Spanish fireside and I got to Sing in Spanish with the missionary choir, it was awesome! As well I got to talk to the members from Lacey(the area that I was in before!!:) It was really good to see them:) they are doing really well. I went and said hi to Presidente McClellan and he stood up and gave me a big hug! He was really happy to see me again, that made me happy:) 

7-6-15

Thank you for fasting for our investigators. It definitely helped; I copied you on the Email about Josh. He is really cool; we are meeting with him again this Friday! It is amazing how much true conversion is based upon what we are taught by the Holy Spirit. That is one thing that is really evident in his life. He was telling me how he feels the Spirit in the classes but he wasn't feeling it in Sacrament and he told me about it and we talked about it and it was a miracle that he stayed for Sacrament meeting because he was going to leave and afterword’s he came up and told me that he felt it. I knew he did just by looking at his countenance. It was awesome! Thank you so much for fasting for them!

Also it was my first time only going to English Church. It was really good and I enjoyed it. I missed the opportunity to learn in Spanish and to practice speaking in Spanish, Especially since I could slightly here them from down the hall. Elder Burke and I go on splits with some of the Adults so that we can cover both wards since they are at the same time. It works out really well. Just a little strange not being with your companion even though it is okay to be on splits.

Yep, I am cleared from the Surgery and can do things now:) We might go to the field and see if I can play soccer with some of the Hispanics today:) Just a possibility, we will see how much time we get.

Super good thing that the woodpecker decided to destroy something other than the house! I bet that makes you happy:)

Oh the Spanglish area is awesome! There is a lot more work to do and we get to teach everyone we talk to and say that we can come back and teach them. It makes it a lot easier and more fluid. Being over the Sister missionaries is really good, the challenges is just calling and seeing how there investigators are doing and how obedient they are, it just takes time at night after Elder Burke and I finish our planning but I enjoy it:) Other than that it is really good.

This past week was really good, We found two new families to teach and also 17 year old whose name is Gavin. He is really cool and plays baseball and is a pitcher. He pitches at 85 which is really good for a 17 year old. It was a miracle how we started to teach him, we knocked on his door and he answered it and his stepdad came up as we started talking to him and he said that he didn't want anything but Gavin was interested and still wanted to learn even though his stepdad didn't. We taught him about the restoration of the Gospel and then we set a time to come back. When we went back we taught him about the plan of salvation and how to pray, he doesn't have a huge religious background but is really interested in learning and the Spirit has been there when we are teaching him and so we are going to him more about Baptism and hopefully he will accept a date to be baptized! We are going to see him again tomorrow. He couldn't come to Church this week because of a basesball tournament.

This week was awesome. Josh came to church and stayed all three hours. He usually just comes the first two (In the English ward here we have Sacrament meeting last and Sunday School classes first. After the first two hours of classes Josh  told me that he was going to leave and I invited him to stay. Then he told me some of concerns and that he was just going to be upfront with me and so we talked about them for a little bit and then he was on his way. It surprised me when I turned around to see the first person bearing her testimony (Someone brought her a microphone because she can't walk very well) and Josh was sitting back there. After Sacrament meeting was over I went and talked to him and he was really happy and was smiling, I could just tell that he had felt the Spirit and that his concern was relieved. So we talked and he said that he felt the Spirit and thought about what I said and it made a difference. I am really happy about that. He has been an investigator for so long and hasn't been baptized yet but I have a feeling that he will soon be able to enter into that covenant with God. I know that once he does he will be able to feel more of Gods love for him. I am so pleased that I get to play a part in teaching him and in his conversion to Jesus Christ. I know the Gospel is true and those that are truly seeking will be able to learn of themselves the truthfulness of the restored priesthood authority and the same church organization that existed when Jesus Christ walked.

6-15-15

We had 3 investigators at Church yesterday and that was awesome! We are going to meet with them this week and hopefully that will agree to get baptized, well we will invite them for sure, no one will get baptized if you don't invite them.

6-8-15

Something cool that I like that I am learning from the mission is about setting goals. Before the mission I would always just say that I am going to do my best but, a member of the 70 came and gave a training about three months ago and brought the "I will do my best" up and said that is not good..... So I am learning a lot about goals and getting work done. I think goals are key now. However, in order for the goal to work and be the key to success, you have to be committed to it. Anyways, just a little bit about what I have been learning.

Six Months, already?!?!

My how time flies by. It is amazing, isn't it? 

Elder Skoubye continues to do really well. He has even bounced back after an emergency appendectomy. That was exciting...poor guy. When I was able to talk with Nathan after his surgery, he said, "Mom I don't have to come home from my mission, I get to stay!" The most remarkable aspect about Nathan having his appendix removed were all the blessing and miracles that just fell into place. The Lord is truly watching out for His missionaries (and their moms too). 

Read below to see what Elder Skoubye has been up too:

This is Nate - about a week after the surgery. He looks good, right?!

Elder Burke and Elder Skoubye (Nate's companion)

P-Day soccer with the other missionaries in the area

After surgery

Best day ever, Mother's Day. We got to Skype with Nate!!

May 25, 2015

"I could try to tell you about every little detail like I am trying to do in my journal but I have almost 3 pages and am still not to the part where they took it out. So a small summary will have to suffice.

The pain started Sunday morning about 30-40 minutes after I ate breakfast. I had fried pancakes and hash browns. It was really delicious. After that we had personal studies and then went to the church meetings. I wasn't feeling very good but I got to translate and give the closing pray for sacrament meeting. I felt lightheaded when I stood up to go and pray, now I know something was actually wrong. But I made it through the rest of church. I ate some M&M's second hour. That was about the last thing I ate until Tuesday morning at breakfast. I had about 5 pieces of toast and some sugary stuff to drink and a banana and a few bites of jello in that span of time. Looking back that is hardly anything, no wonder Sister Blatter keeps telling me to eat really good, haha. So Sunday night we got Presidente Aldo Del Bosque and his wife to take me to the ER. They thought it could be a gallbladder problem and sent me home with some heavy duty pain medicine. Hydrocodone, and some nausea pills. They told me to stay away from fats and call a surgeon in a couple of days if the problem persists. Anyways, it painfully persisted throughout P-day where I was an invalid and couldn't do anything. I slept in till 10 in the morning (with the mission presidents permission) and I was taking a hydro-codon pill every three hours. (That's when I would wake up an decide I need some medicine and have Elder Burke make me some toast...I thought that I had to eat in order to take it... I am sure Elder Burke just loved doing everything for me, including my shopping, somehow he manage to find the right deodorant that I described to him:) So Monday night Sis. Blatter managed to set up a ride from the senior missionaries to take me to their house, they live in a nicely finish Garage attic of the house of Bishop Farrer. The senior missionaries were having a meeting that night in Olympia and miraculously I was on their way back home. They came and got me. The ride to their house was kind of long and especially uncomfortable/painful once we got into their neighborhood. The roads were bumpy and not good. We get out of the car and I hobble up the stairs to the attic and sit down on the recliner and Bishop and Sis. Farrer come up with us and Bishop Farrer checks me out and in two seconds after doing two tests. Smacking my foot and touching my right side of my stomach says yep he's got appendicitis. So I had to go back down the stairs and in the the torturous car and off to the emergency room again, it was very simple to get in and onto a hospital bed. They touched my stomach some more and put me through a cat scan. Then the guy comes back and tells super happy that, "You got appendicitis!" with a thumbs up... haha:) I asked him what the next steps were and so I got surgery and there was a lot of LDS people who helped. The Surgeon, The Anesthesiologist and the Cat Scanner guy. And then the lady who was there when I woke up from the surgery. I think she might have been the anesthesiologist but I am not sure. So 4 or 5 LDS people were involved and that was pretty cool. So I got to stay in the hospital until wednesday morning and luckily I got to leave, they wanted to do all of my insulin giving, they tried to treat me like a type two.... they didn't know how to work with type 1 even when I told them what I needed. Anyways my bg (blood glucose level or blood sugar level) was 85 wednesday morning and they wouldn't give me insulin for breakfast so I just told them that I wouldn't eat... and I didn't:) they only give insulin if it is over 140.... ya they need help. Anyways then I got to rest at Elder and Sister Hinds house for a few days and I got back to Shelton Saturday. I still can't do very much though sadly. but in a few days hopefully I will be allowed to do more. So that is a briefish summary of what happened.

Right now I am doing really good, tons better:)"

May 18, 2015

"I didn't get a chance to get pizza on my birthday...it was park day...we had to ride bikes. It was good but riding bikes in Shelton is tough because of the hills. It turned out to be a tough day, but I think I am stronger because of it. Thank you so much for the picture of Jesus, I really like it! It is hanging on the wall:) Also thank you for the extra cash, that was a nice surprise!

Okay so since Sunday it has been painful, I ate fried pancakes and hash-browns for breakfast. They were really good. But the results were bad. From what they told me at the  ER yesterday is that I had a gallbladder attack. I made it through church and then we went home to change out of our suits and and so I could use the bathroom before the dinner appointment. It turned out we cancelled the appointment and stayed home the rest of the day, my stomach hurt really good. Called Presidente Aldo Del Bosque, him and his wife took us to the ER. They also bought me juice and 7-up. It turned out to be a long night, we got back home around 11:15 Presidente lives just down the street from us so I was glad that he was able to help. They put me on an IV and gave me morphine and nauseous medicine, I threw up there (luckily they gave me a barf bag). The Del Bosque's were really nice and waited for us the whole time. They did a blood test and that came back fine. They also did an ultra sound. They said my gall bladder had some sludge in it or something like that. I will call a surgeon tomorrow or the next day if they pain doesn't go away and then we will go from there to see what the next steps are. Right now I am on anti Nauseous medicine and HydroCod/Acet. It works alright. I just took Ibuprofen and that is helping. Anyways, if it keeps hurting I will probably get it removed. I don't think it will be to big of a deal, I least I would feel better. I cant really walk around very well right now. Elder Burke when on splits to get me food and deodorant for the week (we went on splits with the english elders. they are driving us around today, I cant drive while on the pain medicine.)

I am really liking Elder Burke, he is really helping me out. We are becoming really good missionaries together! Also he gave me a blessing because I really needed one and in it I was assured that everything would be okay. So no worries okay guys:) We have found a new investigator every day since Wednesday except for Sunday because of my Gallbladder. (I wonder if one day all the unneccesary body part that I have will be removed... Tonsils...Check Gallbladder...Pending Appendix...Hopefully it will be a while before I have to worry about that one. So it has been really cool to find new investigators. We have been praying for our Investigators a lot. We have two people on date for baptism. They speak Spanish as a second language and Mam is I believe their first. I hope they understood enough of what we were teaching to really feel touched by it.

There is this family that we are teaching and their dad is less willing to change but the kids are really feeling the spirit and they want to know if the church is true. I hope their dad doesn't hold them back. Also we have been working with a less active family and usually it is their son that we get to talk to. We talked a little bit about the restoration and showed him a video about the restoration and how Joseph Smith was called as a prophet to help restore Christ's church to the earth. He said he is going to come to church next Sunday. Also, we talked to another less active this week, we actually locked our bikes up at her house and left her a note while we went and knocked doors around her house. She came to Church this Sunday and it was really good to see her there. Her son came with her to. :)

Turned out to be a good week:) Also I got to translate for Sacrament meeting this Sunday, it was from Spanish to English. I think I did pretty good, I was preying for help because I couldn't have done it on my own. One of the lady's couldn't here me but the other one could. I guess I will just have to talk louder the next time that I do it. (it was into those headphone things that Brother Mladeneo would use.) Then during Sunday School I sat next to the lady that needed translating and it was weird to translate everything because I felt like I was speaking over everyone. But it was good."

May 11, 2015

"It was fantastic to get to talk to you guys yesterday as well!! I really enjoyed it, its a bummer I don't get to hang out with you guys more, that would be a ton of fun!

Today at the store, I got some different colored pens to help me study...ya I guess I am wierd like that now. Hey its awesome, I am so glad that I am learning to like to study. Hopefully I will like to do it even when it is a topic that I don't really like:) I think it will make me a better student for the future.

I just want to say again how great it was to talk to you guys yesterday! Hermano Ricardo said that you guys were super young. He is pretty cool. Elder Ahlert does a voice impression of him that is hilarious! I can't believe how much older Aubrey, Brin and Kambree are looking!! They are looking good! You and dad both look good to!"

"That story about Will Hypnotizing the Chicken was awesome! I just loved getting to talk to you all and seeing your faces! I can't believe how much older the girls look!

As for right now, we just go to the branch, it is still a full three hours and it is really nice.

Ya and I get to drive, kind of a bummer because I really like relaxing in the car. I am going to have to put all of the members addresses in the back of my planner so that I can get to their houses with the Gps. I think I will be able to help Elder Burke out, I really like him and have enjoyed being able to talk with him at the Spanish Zone activities. I think we will work good together and we will be able to help each other improve a lot as missionaries and in the way that we teach.

Also the lord answers prayers, not always in the way that you expected but he does and he puts people in your path that will really help you improve.

In addition my average BG has been 134 for the past 7 and 138 for the past 14 and 141 for the past 30 days. That is a whole lot better than what it was, I just need to find a way to get the insulin better at a members house. I have been thinking about the pump again. Have they come out with any new or cool pump technologies lately? How does Brother Asay like the New OmniPod? I don't sweat as much on the mission and I really want better control, the needles are really good except when you are in public or at Church and someone gives you something to eat. It also is difficult to carry around the meter all of the time. I would really like my A1C to be 6.5 or lower. I have run into a blind person and another visually disabled person and for both of them it was because of Type 1. Yikes! I definitely don't want that. 

Just let me know your thoughts on switching over to the Omnipod or something like that. Also, I know you are busy but if you could check out Apidra that would be sweet, it seems to keep the blood sugar a lot more stable and I seem to feel better.

Search+Ponder+Pray=Revalation"