eMail of March 26, 2012

Hey family,

So I met my new companion and we worked this week. He's fantastic. He´s on his second to last transfer on the mission, but he's not trunky at all. He says it's because for him it doesn´t matter how far he is on the mission, he´s still on the mission so it's the same thing. We're working real hard so I´m pretty happy about that.

We've gathered some new investigators from the area book and some references from the mission office. Sandra is still having a tough time quiting coffee. The problem is she's been drinking it twice a day everyday since she was a toddler. Also she has shifts at work nights and days back to back. But were working with her and we have faith that she´ll make it. Our other investigator is Linda. She's married to a member who did pretty much everything in the church before he divorced and became less active. Then he married her and is coming back to church.

I´m eating well and staying healthy. I´m eating more now than I ever have, but the members who give us lunch still say I don´t eat very much. I´m not gaining any weight because we walk so much. The weather here is a lot cooler now. (cool for here, but not for me). I´m not sure how some people come back from the mission with accents. My Portuguese doen´t seem to me to effect my english at all. Also Ive talked with people with a lot more time on the mission and they don´t seem to have any accent in english. Interesting. Thats so great that Caleb did well in wrestling. Its a whole different game in High School though. I wish I could go with all you guys to see hannah. But I´m supposed to be here so. Just three more months of school for you guys huh. I love you all. Stay firm in the gospel cuz its true. See yah in a couple years.

Elder Marc Skiles

eMail of March 19, 2012

Hey family,

Thanks so much for the emails and the pictures of hannah. Thats so great that you guys are so busy with her. Family is a great thing to be busy with. No one told me that Janai got in to BYU? I guess I knew she would. Thats great about the scholarship. Don´t stress yourself about anything Janai. Youve made it. Just have fun now. Seems like yesterday I was waiting for high school to end. What a blessing that Dad still has work. My companion was super excited to go home. Hes gone to go climb a mountain with the Mission President. I havent met my new companion. His name is Elder Rais (hayz). I hear he´s pretty quiet. We didn´t get a baptism this week either. Sandra didn´t quit drinking coffee yet. But she will. One of our eternal investigators (she has to get married) is moving. It might be in a different area. This kind of makes me nervous because its real easy to lose an investigator that way. Shes been going to church for about 8 months. I´ll find out tomorrow where it is shes moving. I love you all. Good luck woth Hannah and school and work and church and drama. See yah all in a couple years.

Elder Marc Skiles

eMail of March 12, 2012

Hello Everyone,

Thanks so much for the pictures of Hannah. She is sooo cute. I can´t wait to meet her when I come back. She'll be 1 and a half years old! Its crazy that I´ll be burning a tie at the 1/4 mark this week. It goes by so fast. This week we didn´t baptize. Mirian became really wishy washy again. Theres just no desire. But we´ll have a baptism for shure next week. She got married to a member about a month ago. She had to quit coffee first which was super hard. She drank about twice a day before. Everythings going really well. My companion is super excited to go home. Just one more week for him. I love you all. See yah in a couple years!

Elder Marc Skiles

eMail of March 5, 2012

Hello everyone,

No baptisms this week, but everything is going good. We should have 3 baptisms next week. My companion and I are still getting along real well. Leticia was confirmed this week. It was testimony meeting and 3 of the 4 baptisms that I've had bore thier testimonies. That was pretty exciting. It's always fantastic to see people stay firm after baptism. I hope you all have a good week. Happy Birthday Dad. Give Hannah a hug for me. See yah all in a couple years.

Elder Marc Skiles

eMail of February 27, 2012

Hey family,

Thanks so much for the photos. She is really cute. I really badly want to hold her. I'm super excited that I´m an uncle now. It's kind of wierd to think my parents are grandparents now. Happy Birthday Mom and Caleb... and Hannah. Which reminds me that I forgot to say happy birthday to Carlene. So happy Birthday Carlene too.

Things are going great here. My companion and I are getting along real well. I found out that I am alergic to cats and apples now. I developed them both at the same time a couple weeks ago. (David would think that was interesting I think). The same allergies dad has. It's weird because one day I was petting and holding cats totally fine and then all of a sudden I go into allergies if the house has a cat. Cool anyway.

We're gunna have a baptism next week. She's the wife of a member. They've been going to church together for 4 months amd they got married a couple weeks ago so she's more than ready. This is one baptism I think will definitely end up in the temple. My companion and I are super happy about that. He had been praying that he would be able to marry a couple and baptise them because he had never done it before. Now we have 2 dates of baptisms for couples recently married. His prayer was answered. We´re still working to baptise mirian as well. I think she´ll be the key to reactivating her children who are baptised.

Elder Marc Skiles

eMail of February 20, 2012

Hey everyone,

This week went pretty well. We baptized liticia on friday. She was really happy. Sister Janette made cake and brought soda and a present (a journal). It's members like her that grow the kingdom and make missionary work a lot more effective. Unfortunately she got sick. really sick. She went to the hospital. We gave her a blessing on Saturday and she went to the hospital last night. We'll be praying for her.

Patrick went to the youth camp which is fantastic. We had 7 investigators at church today which was great. This means we have a lot of teaching to do this week. There was a couple there that I think is really interested. They just have to get married (always the problem:) ).

That's so great that Hannah is coming. I´m super excited to be an uncle. Send me lots of pictures (to this email). I´d be excited for spring and presidents day as well, but neither one really exists here.

This week is Carnaval. The most important holiday for Brazil. Its pretty week in the streets here in Cuiabá, but everone talks about it. If you research it dont be too scared because it will show you stuff in São Paulo or Rio de Janeiro. It's huge there--and a little dangerous.

Thanks for all the Email. I love to hear what's going on at home. See yah all in a couple years.

Elder Marc Skiles

eMail of February 13, 2012

Hello Family ,

So, I couldn´t email last week because I spent all day in a van. We had the transfer last week. I´m in the same area Coxipó, with a different companion. Elder J. Silva. He´s awesome. He has 38 days till he goes back home, but he teaches amazingly. I´m going to pay real good attention to how he does it because it's always very clear, very convincing, and full of the Spirit.

We´re going to have another baptism next week. It's Patrick´s sister, Leticia. Hopefully we´ll baptise merean as well. She's been with missionaries for a couple years and almost all of her children are baptised. Elder J. Silva almost got her to commit to baptism. She has a loyalty with the catholic church and Elder J. Silva was catholic up until he got baptised 5 years ago so he understands her doubts a lot.

I´m glad to hear things are going well. I´m super excited to be an uncle, and to have a new sister. Missions do grow families. It's hard to believe I´ll hit the six month mark and burn a tie at the end of this transfer. I love you all. Thank you for your prayers. They are definitely felt hear. The gospel is true; so see yah in a couple years.

Elder Marc Skiles