Bit in the FACE by a DOG!

Suppppp dudes?! Things are well in my family, it seems.

Happy that Ian got to graduate and so that's pretty sweet. Rad senior pics!
I had to take mine in front of the rival high school haha. Congrats Ian.

Going well here with Elder Brizuela. We get along very well and we're
pretty darn obedient as well. Sometimes I feel like the zone leaders and
the district think that we aren't but I don't care because I know that
we're doing well. It gives a good feeling to know that.

Got bit in the face by a dog this week. One more reason for me to take even
MORE pills. It was hard to explain to Hermana Pricoli where the bite was.
The dog was just chilling on the ground and I looked over it and said her
name and WOOF!. Right around my eyes. Another inch and I wouldn't being
seeing out of my left eye haha... So if we can't get a copy of her vaccine
certificate then I'll be getting the rabies shot... Which I hear they do in
the butt here and it takes 7 shots. So Pray so that doesn't happen.

We found a family of five this week and the 17 year old son seems really
into religious things. He's got some gnarly lip peircings and comes across
as just a straight thug but he's really cool and probably pays more
attention than anyone else. We put a date for baptism but didn't come to
church so it fell through. But the fact that he accepted the date without
even hesitating makes us think that we can get somewhere with him.

Well, I love you guys!!!!!!!!!!!! You're the best mom. I love you more than
anyone else. ;)

Elder Esniker

Audio File HERE 

Transferred after all!

Sounds like everything is going well up there!

So news time. President recieved revelation and transfered me unexpectedly
And now i'm in Palmira. 
It's been weird cause I left my old new companion alone in an area that
wasn't doing too well and now I'm opening an area with my NEW new companion,
Elder Brizuela. HE's from Bolivia and is suuuuuuper cool. Really nice guy
and pretty darn funny.

This area is a lot better than the other one.

We have some investigaters that are getting ready for baptism that the
other missionaries left. We were pretty exciting about starting the
transfer with some dates for baptism but the investigaters weren't too
stoked to see that their first missionaries had left. So they are now
progressing slowly because we aren't their "homies" yet. it'll takle a
while and we told them to give us time and we'd become friends. That and
the doctrine is the same whether they teach or whether we teach. So they'll
need some warming up. Let's hope they weren't converts to the missionaries
alone haha.

Love you mom!!!! You're my fav!

Elder Skinner

May Transfers

It was awesome to see you guys yesterday!!! (Mother's day call)

I'm so happy that my family is so cool. It's been a really hard week and it helped to have a pick me up from the quirky Skinners.

I won't lie and say I'm happy but it'd also be a lie if I said I'm sad.
Sappy is the right word for it. Transfers always bring a weird sentimental
feeling and that includes just these overflowing feelings of just general
weirdness and being kind of sad. Elder Chicaiza left and went to Popayan.
I'm now with Elder Serrano from Bolivia and he's finishing this transfer
which means I'm probably going to finish MY mission here too. I've only got
two transfers left and so they'll probably send me another missionary when
Elder Serrano goes home. The crazy part is that they just closed the other
area and took out Westfall AND Cumbal. Now Elder Serrano and I are the only
missionaries here. I'm not the district leader anymore which quite
honestly, I am SO happy about. I didn't like that responsability at all.
But now the ward is in big danger. They might be a branch pretty soon now and
the fact that the mission is only keeping two elders here makes it feel
more real and close.

So yeah, not too sad but not too happy. I'm really just trying to keep
everything in. 
Love you mom! Happy mother's day!! I like those calls more than the
Christmas calls ;)

Love
Elder Jenky

April in Cali!

Heyyyyyy mummy!!! Happy birthday Garrett!!! I love that guy. I made a
recording but I forgot to brinmg the recorder...

I asked President Pricoli about my return date and he told me the same date
you guys ssaw on the church leadership website. He said it's just the
estimate though. It'll most likely change.

This week was a lot better than the last one. We had some good lessons and
we found a killer investigater named Lina. Single mom with three kids the
oldest being eight. Really nice lady. Very very shy and quiet. But she's
very sincere at the same time. She won't lie or pretened to understand when
she doesn't.

I scared my comp this week. SUPER FUNNY! Look at the video on dropbox if
it decides to load.
Waiting to scare my companion.

The Scare! 

 There was an earthquake this week. we had a ten minute long little rumble
feeling that made us all dizzy but Ecuador got SLAMMED. Elder Chicaiza is
pretty nervous for his family but his city didn´t get it too bad. But Elder
Cumball, (Elder Westfall's companion) lives in one of the parts that
everything was really bad. So He's really worried about his friends and
family. It's sad to see because Cumball is really cool, the most humble
missionary. ever.
Pray for Ecuador!!!

I love you guys, this is a lame email I know. Sorry I'm of out it from
playing soccer... haha. It's pretty fun when you don't suck ;)

Love you!

Elder Skinner

April 24th
       Sounds like things are going to be pretty darn fun! In reference to being drugged out - Emily and Ian were getting their wisdom teeth out. haha. Take advantage of it while it still feels good because it hurts pretty bad when you come out of it. I'm a terrible example haha... We are having some pretty gnarly troubles here. 
        Our area is more dead than the cockroaches we find almost everyday. It's so hard to be motivated and it's led me to a sort of just, "when can I go home?" attitude. I really don't want to finish anywhere else. I mean I love the ward. But the area mixed with other problems is really pushing down now. But the mission really is a roller coaster. With Guerrero in Popayan we were living the dream but now we are living the nightmare here. Hopefully this next transfer will be the fun part of the roller coaster. But I'm really trying to get better. I'm going to right a VERY long letter to Presidente today and I'll just hope he calls me. But I'll try to get his attention. Maybe I'll throw a swear word or two in there ;) 
        Speaking of letters, I heard you got mine this week!!! I'm so glad! What'd you think? I was kind of clueless on what to write so I kind of just winged it and put them in with a few thousand peso and my memory card. Let me know what you think. 
       Studying the scriptures has helped me keep my sanity and emotions at bay. I'm reading the conversion of Alma the older in Alma 36 and it really helps. Sometimes I feel pretty down and just want to be covered by the mountains and just hide. But reading how Alma got out of it really motivates me to do better to try a little harder. Keep moving forward... 
      I love you mom! Thanks for your prayers cause they really are helping. 
 Elder Skinner

 Audio File HERE