[32] I'll Miss Pismo Beach, Love is Boundless, and Thousand Oaks Here I Come:)

Hello Family and Friends,

I hope everyone is doing well. I think and pray for you all and it's wonderful to be able to keep in touch by reading letters and notes that are sent my way:) You guys are great.

Going to Miss it Here

It's transfer week again! And I am leaving. I am going to miss Pismo Beach. This is such a great area. The ward is wonderfully kind. I felt blessed to be able to serve here for 4 months and I learned so much. I am grateful for and love the people I was able to teach and serve.  Though as much as I will miss it,  I am excited for the next adventure. Thousand Oaks here I come!

Love Is Boundless

One of the things I've been learning on my mission is how much love we have inside to share with others.  I think it may be a little how a parent feels about loving more than one child. I love my family and friends at home and at school and at BYUH and so I thought, how can I love anyone else on my mission?  And then you meet people on your mission and you have so much love for them! 

I have loved my companions, the ward members, the people taking lessons.  I was warned a little before my mission that I will meet some mean people and even unkind people and I tried to prepare for that. What I wasn’t prepared for is missing the kindred spirit people you meet. You get attached and have love for so many people.  Then you need to move on or get transferred and that is difficult. I am so grateful that our church believes we are a forever people, a forever family and will exist forever so that I might be able to meet and be with these wonderful people that I have met and loved in many areas of my mission.

Sister Clark Gets an A+

It has been such a blessing to have been able to serve with Sister Clark for her last transfer of her mission. She has taught me so much during these last 6 weeks. I can see the light shine in her and I know she is a dedicated disciple of Jesus Christ. She has helped many people over the last year and a half and I know they all love her for it. She is so kind and genuine. I know she will continue to love and care for the people at her home and help others to see their true potential.  

Last Service for (J)

We were able to do our last service for (J) this week before Sister Clark goes home. We helped him weed his garden. As we worked, we talked to him about Stake Temple Day and now he is thinking of going on February 14th with the Ward! What better place to spend a day of  Love and think of your loved ones than at the temple?  (He misses his parents he lost very much.) We feel there are great things in store for (J) and so happy for him as he continues to grow and make more goals.

Helpful Letters from My Cousin

A few weeks ago my awesome cousin Cayla sent me the talk "Windows of Heaven" (Thank you so much Cayla!) As I reread that talk I realized my testimony of tithing has grown on my mission. I have seen how it blesses the lives of those who are willing to obey the commandments of God. 

We taught (S) about tithing this week and even though she hasn't been active in Church for many years (she is doing much better now!) she still has a testimony of tithing. She told us how important it is. Even though she doesn't have much to give she told us she knows she needs to pay it.  And she did yesterday! I admire her.   (S) showed her Heavenly Father how much she loves Him by offering the very thing she needs most at this time and gave it away. It reminded me of the Widow's mite.  I know she will be blessed for her faithfulness, both temporally and spiritually. 

Love you lots!

Sister Skinner - Karatassos

Pictures - (01/26/15) Thoughtful Spot, Service in the Sun, and Smiling With Difficult Goodbyes:)

 

Like Pooh Bear I have my 'thoughtful spot'

and it is by the ocean.

  

Beautiful Sister Clark and I enjoy the Beach 

on Prep-day. Why does food taste better outdoors

and by the ocean?:)

 

Writing letters listening to the waves.

 

 Doing service and yard work for 

a sweet sister (C) who is a 

cute single mom and so nice.

 

Helping with Sister (C)'s yard. Needed

a hat because it was pretty sunny that day.

On Splits with amazing Sister Collings.

I was blessed to get to be with Sister C all

day and learn so much from her beautiful

testimony.

 

The Hermana's made Elder Hull

 his 21st Birthday cake! He is a great Elder and 

he even shared. Haha!

 

Here is (S) again. Love her and going to 

miss her so much!

 

Great Relief Society Activity.

 

The Relief Society did such a fun job of decorations.

A fun and sharing time.

 

Friends forever <3

 

Guess who?:) (Yep mom, you can tell Kenny

 I still like Disney):)

Haha! 

 

Service Project to help a grandmother

put her trampoline together for her grandchildren.

 

One of the Elders showing his opinion

of the trampoline instructions! Hahaha!

 

Success! 

 

Ward Mission Leader's daughter (B). She is

a sweetheart! Do you like how Sister Clark 

and I match?:)

 

Cayla (One of Karissa's cousins) was so sweet and wrote me a letter every day. In the end it spelled out a scripture. It is about tithing so she sent a talk on tithing and her testimony of it. It was so sweet and made my week so

much better! What a blessing my family is.

 

Saying goodbye to many awesome people.

Here is Sister Bunting and her mom, who is

101! Both are lovely fantastic ladies and

her mom is especially good and kind!

 

More Goodbyes. Sister Bake (She played 'Old Befana'

last week. It was such a good time.)

The Burks' kids. Here is sweet (S) again. The

one who got her purple plate ready for

some Greek Food her dad had cooked. Haha.

 

The Burks. They are wonderful.

The husband is a great cook. I

will miss them.

 

Saying goodbye to Sister Strang. She let us 

try out her loom . 

 

The loom was really really cool.

 

Sister Anderson! Such a lovely fun person! <3

 

I am going to miss Sister Clark. She has such

a wonderful kind spirit and you

just know she is genuine when she talks.

I will miss all the fun times we had together too. 

She was great, and she knew that sometimes you just

have to have some chocolate covered potato chips and

keep trying! She taught me so much. I know her

family will be so happy to see her

after being gone eighteen months! <3

[31] Alaska has Missionaries too, Helping in RS, and a Harry Potter Visual:)

Happy Martin Luther King Jr. Day!     "Faith is taking the first step even when you don't see the whole staircase." MLK  Hope my friends and family are also having a nice day off from school:)

Busy Monday

We had to drive all the way to beautiful Santa Maria today to email since it is a holiday and the libraries are closed.   We used the church computer there.  So it's been a crazy Monday like always, but lots of fun to see more of CA. Plus we just had lunch at a Greek restaurant which was delicious. Probably one of the best ones I've been to. (You'll have to try it when I come back and visit my mission Papa!:)

Exchanges

We had exchanges again this week! (That's when you switch mission companions for a day.)  I went with Sister Collings.  She is beautiful, wonderful and what a great example to me.   It's amazing how many sister missionaries are out here giving of their time and talents and who love The Lord so much.   That's why they are doing what they are doing.  So our goal was to have meaningful prayers with everyone. It was a great thing to focus on because it really made us think about those we were teaching and their situations.  These type of prayers really helped to bring the Spirit around us.

Finding Others to Teach

Sister Clark and I had a great week for finding new investigators.  We met (E) and (L) on Thursday and will hopefully see them again this week. They both have great potential and you can tell this because they had great questions as we taught about the Restoration.  They are really seeking answers and it's nice when the people you are talking to keep asking questions, because then you get to keep answering:)  We were also thankful for prayer that helps us to have answers.

Off to Alaska 

We also met a man named (T) as we were walking around early Friday night. We stopped to talk to him and had a great conversation and we asked if we could come back sometime. He said he is moving to Alaska this next week so we met with him the next day. We went over the Restoration and he had great insights and questions. We invited him to church and he came yesterday! He even stayed for Sunday school! 

We are blessed that our ward does a great job with the Gospel Principles class. There is such a great environment there and everyone feels comfortable. I look forward to going to that class each Sunday.  The people who talk the most are actually the investigators and visitors, which is so cool! They always have great insights. (T) loved sharing his ideas in class as we discussed the Word of Wisdom. It was great! We will get to meet with him again this week before he moves. Even though we can only teach him briefly, I really feel there are missionaries up there in Alaska right now who are ready to teach him:) 

 Jump for Joy Service Project:) (at least help kids jump:)

We were able to do service for a lady who isn't a member of our faith this week by helping her build a trampoline and net, for her grandchildren. It was lots of fun! And her grandchildren are sweet.  I am so glad we could help her and let her know we care about her and her family:)

Old Befana - Wonderful Italian Traditions

We went to Sister Bake's house for a fun Italian January 6th celebration (Epiphany) and she read us the story Old Befana. It's about this little old lady who followed the Wise Men and now brings gifts to the children after Christmas. There were lots of friendly people there and everyone at the party got a present from Old Befana, even the missionaries! :)

Helping Teach About Prayer in RS

This week for Relief Society, Sister MacClain asked us to help her with her lesson. The topic was prayer. We used the 'Preach My Gospel' activity which has you evaluate your prayers and find ways you can improve them. It is sometimes easy to get into the same routine, so we must rely on the Spirit to know what we should say. 

Also sometimes it helps to ponder the things in our heart before we address Heavenly Father. It was good to teach about prayer, because I have always felt that being able to Pray at any time is a gift. It can help in so many ways. Just as our physical bodies need food at least three times a day so does our spirit.   So we should pray at least three times a day, or even more.   We can snack a little here and there as we need it :) 

One of the friendly sisters in Relief Society also talked about how she had just watched the 7th Harry Potter movie recently. She said she always gets emotional at the part when everyone raises their wands and a protection goes around Hogwarts because she sees it as prayer. I loved that visual! Prayer really is a protection. I have a testimony of prayer. I have seen how it blesses my own personal life. I know Heavenly Father hears and answers us.  May we keep having daily prayers protect, help and uplift us.

I love you all! Have a wonderful week!

Keep praying for Missionaries:)

Sister Karissa S-K:)

Pictures - (01/19/14) Befana visits for Epiphany, Shell Beach, Cute Chinese Restaurant:)

 

We went to Sister Bake's house for a fun Italian January 6th celebration (Epiphany) and she read us the story Old Befana. It's about this little old lady who followed the Wise Men and now brings gifts to the children after Christmas. There were lots of friendly people there and everyone at the party got a present from Old Befana, even the missionaries! :)

 

 Befana showing up with gifts:) So fun. 

I love Family Traditions.

 

Befana reading the story of her following the 

Wisemen to see the Christ Child.

 

Shell Beach is such a lovely place

and has this neat windmill right by

Ocean Boulevard

 

Sister Clark and I :)

 

Hello friends and family! 

I love to hear the sound of the waves.

  

We thought this was a beautiful color sky

and then....

 

 more color...

 

and more beautiful colors!

I love the ocean and sky views:)

We were blessed to get to see this.

 

 One of our sweet investigator (M) 

kindly took us out to dinner. 

We went to this cute little Chinese restaurant. 

The food was very yummy. I was able to order

one of my favorites - Orange Chicken :)

[30] Time Speeds By, Helping Hands, and Speaking in Sacrament Meeting:)

Good Morning Everyone!

Time Speeds By

I feel like this year is speeding by too fast already. Speaking of which, yesterday someone asked when I started my mission and I realized I was at exactly the seven month mark, 11th, yesterday and I'm wishing time would slow down a little.  It still feels like I was just in the amazing MTC, some what lost and confused:)    I still feel like that sometimes too haha!) But I have learned a lot and experienced a lot these past few months and I wouldn't trade it for anything. Being on a mission for me has been a huge blessing and I know I'm where I am at for a reason and it's a great feeling. I am so grateful to be here. 

Helping Hands

We did a lot of Service again this week! It's kept Sister Clark and I busy every day and we really feel happy and useful when that happens.  Some of it wasn't planned and that seemed to add to the fun of service.   Like one morning as we were going out we saw a family moving into our apartment complex/building.  We asked if we could help, and we were told that would be just what they needed, if we didn't mind the trouble.  And we told them no trouble!:) So we spent our morning helping them move in. It was great! (Plus good exercise:)

Getting A Priesthood Blessing is a Blessing

Unfortunately I still have been getting headaches off and on.  I am trying to prevent them.  I am drinking lots of water and taking medicine and trying to get to sleep as soon as I go to bed at night.  It's interesting how basic things like sleep and water help our bodies.  Just like prayer and reading the scriptures help our spirit:)  I received another blessing this week so I have Faith that it will all get better soon :) Sister Clark has been helping a lot too.  I could not have gotten a more caring missionary companion. I love her so much!

Missionaries Speak in Sacrament Meeting

We were asked to give a talk in Sacrament Meeting with the Elders in our ward. Each of us were given a different topic relating to missionary work. Mine was 'The Rescue'. The whole theme of my talk was nautical and it was a real blessing how everything fit together. 

As I worked on my talk at first I had so many things to say, but I didn't have a clear idea on how it would all work together. But during my scripture studies after I said a little prayer, I sat down to write and it all just flowed and I was able to include everything I wanted to. I wish I could explain what a tender mercy it was.  It made me feel good to know that my Heavenly Father loves us enough to care about what we are doing and going to say. I am grateful that He would have the Spirit help me organize my random thoughts:)

I started by reading the words to the hymn "Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy"(pg.335).  It paints a picture in my mind similar to the one our prophet, President Thomas S. Monson mentions in a talk he gave in General Conference.   He describes a masterpiece he saw in London, and he says, "Amid the storms of life, danger lurks. Men and women, boys and girls, find themselves stranded and facing destruction." He then asks, "Who will guide the lifeboats, leaving behind the comforts of home and family, and go to the rescue?" The answer is us! 

In the hymn it says Heavenly Father gives us "the keeping of the lights along the shore".  

"Brightly Beams Our Father's Mercy"

1 Brightly Beams our Father's Mercy

From His lighthouse evermore, 
But to us He gives the keeping
Of the lights along the shore.

Chorus:
Let the lower lights be burning!
Send a gleam across the wave!
Some poor fainting, struggling seaman
You may rescue, you may save.

2 Dark the night of sin has settled,
Loud the angry billows roar;
Eager eyes are watching, longing,
For the lights along the shore. (Chorus)

3 Trim your feeble lamp, my brother;
Some poor sailor, tempest-tossed,
Trying now to make the harbor,
In the darkness may be lost. (Chorus)
 

As I started reading those words it made me feel even more like it was part of all of our missions as members of our church, to be a light to others and to guide them closer to Christ. He is the light of the world, the lighthouse shining in the darkness. Because of Him we can return to shore, or the loving home with our Heavenly Father. I ended my talk with this poem that I found at a kind member's home: 

Once I was lost upon the sea

It seemed all hope was gone

My ship was drifting helplessly

Battered by the storms

But then I saw a brilliant light 

Shining brighter than the day

It seemed to beckon 'come to me'

I will light the way

Now my ship is in the harbor

Anchored firmly near the shore

IN the shadow of the lighthouse

Safe forevermore

Often times I wonder

Just where that I would be

If the lighthouse, Jesus Christ the Lord,

Had not rescued me

I love my Heavenly Father and His son Jesus Christ and I know they love us too and want us all to return to live with them again some day.

Let your light shine!

Love you all,

Sister Karissa :)