[35] Service-filled Day, Love One Another, and True Potential:)

Happy President's Day to my Family and Friends:) 

Exchanges to My First Area

We went on exchanges this week! (Switching with different companions for the day.)  They always seem to be days filled with blessings.  I went with Sister Woods to Simi Valley, which was my first area, so it was exciting to go back.  It's true that you love who you serve and you also love the Places that you serve :)  

We had a great service-filled day! Some of it was planned and some of it wasn't.  It is great to know when we pray and ask to be able to help others, we will be lead to find people to help. We seemed to be in the right place at the right time a lot. I believe this was a gift of the spirit helping us.  Sister Woods is a great example of listening to the spirit.  I am grateful I could go out with her for the day! 

What Does a Day of Love Mean to You?

In my family, Valentine's Day has always been about showing others how much you care about them so it was great to be able to continue that this year on my mission. 

We focused on sharing love.  On Valentine's Day Sister Boring and I made Valentine's with Scripture Verses on them about Love and gave them out to our investigators, less-actives, and ward members. It was an uplifting day sharing our love with everyone. One of the scriptures we shared on Valentine's Day was:  

1 John 4:7-9  "Beloved, let us love one another, for love is of God and everyone that loveth is born of God and knoweth God.  And he that loveth not, knoweth not God, for God is love. In this was manifested the love of God toward us, because that God sent his only begotten son into the world, that we might live through him." 

I'm trying to improve each day.   As I do, I become more and more grateful for a loving Heavenly Father that loves us so much that He gave us His Son.  

In my studies I also came across this quote by President Dieter F. Uchtdorf  "What good is missionary, temple, or welfare work without love?" I love that message!   What are all these things we do with the church for, if we do not have love as well?  There is no meaning to anything we do, if we do not do it with love. 

Mission Promise

We were promised in our mission, that if we prayed to have charity for all those around us, we will see their true potential and be able to love them even more. Love is so powerful.   Just like when Jesus Christ was asked what was the most important commandment, He answered that the two highest commandments were; Love God and the second was like it; Love One Another.  So I am continuing to try my best to serve, because I really believe more and more you love those you serve.  And with love, the Spirit can work miracles. 

Mom and Papa thank you for the Valentine boxes, my companions loved them:) And thank you everyone else for loving and praying for me.

Love you lots! <3 <3 <3

Sister Karissa Skinner - Karatassos

The pictures this week are about things I wrote about last week:)