Elder Skyler Munson

Lovely random email!

September 13, 2014

We met your lovely Elders today! We are serving in the Air Force here in England. Just thought I'd share a picture! They are great young men!

-Tim & Ami

Wow, what a week! But, I'll answer your questions first! Yes Elder Popa is still trying to get in to BYU. He applied to Provo and Idaho! He is just waiting for the response. I think he'll at least get accepted to Idaho! And some thank you notes would be great Mum, thanks! And, I'm good on toothpaste and deodorant.. it's no problem:)

So, I can't believe we are already starting my third week of me being with Elder Popa in Reading! Time is flying. Honestly, we get up leave the flat at 10 am and usually don't come back till around 10 p.m...working hard as ever! The Lord is blessing us so much in our area to be able to have people to teach! We have 5 solid investigators! And, we had 6 people...all 5 of the solid investigators and 1 other, come to church yesterday! That was so stressful but so sick!

One of our investigators, P____, is awesome. We have been meeting with him EVERY day and he has come to church the last 2 Sundays. He loves us so much and is willing to listen!

We also have an investigator named N____. He has a date to get baptized on the 25th of next month. We set a late day with him cause he [has some challenges with the Word of Wisdom] and so we thought we would give him time to be able to quit properly! But, he told us just earlier this week that he has been clean for nearly a month now...so before I even got here, whilst he was meeting with Elder Popa and Grace, he stopped...which is amazing! They didn't even know he stopped completely! He is awesome!

It's been a weird adjustment being around British people again. Church is more organized, but the friendliness of Africans just can't be matched! haha And, African food can't be replaced either! But, the members here have been quite good at having us over and feeding us.

Tomorrow is our Zone training, so Elder Popa and I are in charge of training the whole Zone on the new vision for the transfer. President Millar will be in attendance and will give a presentation. Due to mine and Elder Popa's schedule, we have yet to prepare our 40 minute presentation to the Zone, so that's what our day will consist of today. :)

I honestly love being here doing what I am doing. Time just keeps going faster and faster though! I don't know what to do! It's all coming to an end so fast it seems. I know I still have a lot of time and a lot of things I need to do here in England...but, the time is running low!!!

Ah, with football season being in full swing, it makes me have such a desire to be working out in the morning! It's cool to think I'll be on the field (or sidelines at least) next season. Ahhh FOOTBALL SEASON IS THE BEST. That's cool that you were able to see some old friends at the PG game.

Tell Grandma and Grandpa that I love them and miss them! I hope you all have a great week! And, thank you so much for all that you do for me and all the love and support I feel!

Love, Elder Skyler Munson

"DLC photo! These are all the District Leaders and Elder Popa and I in the

Reading Zone! Solid bunch!"

Far left: Elder Caruso from Italy. [Elder Popa] Green tie: Elder Tidwell from Kaysville. Middle: Elder McCappin from Australia. Red tie: Elder Cooper from California. And the one next to me with black hair: Elder Mossner from Switzerland!

"On exchange with Elder McCappin from Australia!"

"Like bosses!"

Amazing!

Email - September 1, 2014

HELLOOOO! Ah, things are so good! Honestly, like it's just great! There is so much to be done, but it keeps us busier and I couldn't be happier with where I am!

On Friday, we had MLC - Mission Leadership Council. All the Zone Leaders and Sister Trainer Leaders and the AP's and President met and had a really long meeting and training session and a good council together. We discussed how we can best help the work in this mission. We have had the highest baptizing month in 5 YEARS in this mission. It was amazing! But, we need to keep it going. Sooo..,we were stumped...so, we decided to pray as a MLC, and every one of us kneeled down in the chapel and Elder Popa offered a prayer to our Heavenly Father asking to guide us in what we should do and plan for the mission, and we sat and talked and proposed ideas. It may seem pretty normal or something, but honestly, this was the most spiritual experience I have had in not just my mission but my life, apart from the temple. We are turning the mission into something that it hasn't ever been before. Everything is going to change starting this transfer of how ELSM works, and it will be amazing. This is what the Lord wanted for the mission. He told each and every one of us in this council. It's things that can only be described if you were there, but trust me, things will be awesome!

Elder Popa and I have taught so many quality lessons this week and have found two new investigators who came to church on Sunday. One is English, the other is from Greece. We also spent MANY MANY hours planning and preparing presentations and meetings. We have a training meeting for all the District Leaders in the zone tomorrow. There are 5 districts with 28 total missionaries in the Reading Zone, plus two senior couples...so, a lot to look after and take care of! But, it's amazing. The Woodley Ward is amazing! That is the ward that Elder Popa and I are in. They meet in the Reading building. Member missionary work is better here than it has been anywhere else. We had a member with us in nearly all of our lessons this week.

Elder Popa ends in November, so he has two more transfers left! Luckily! hahhah There is a lot to do as a ZL, accounting to the AP's, exchanges, training plans, and loads more I just can't even think of right now, but I love it. I'm learning a lot!

We have a nice flat. it is a big complex of flats and has a gym and everything! SO I'M GETTING PROPER EXERCISE! It's awesome! Oxford is in our zone! So, I am excited to go on exchange there. ;)

Things are amazing! There really isn't much else to say! I'm happy, working hard, and learning a lot! I'm sorry this email my not be as detailed as you hoped. So much happened this week it's all just morphing into one memory and I don't even know what day things happened on besides MLC and church...haha

Thank you all for everything! I am so blessed! I hope you have a great week!

-Elder Munson

"Ward BBQ in Mitcham."

"Me in front of the Southampton flat last week!!!"

"MLC... say hello to the Leaders of the England London South Mission."

"Elder Alejandre went home! :("

"Sister Stewart from my MTC group!"

The Bristol Zone Leaders stayed at our flat the night before MLC.

(Elder Kirk and Elder Davies) So, we worked out in the morning together obviously!

"Zone Leaders from my MTC group. So sick!"

"Picture after church yesterday. Simon is the one with the beard in the

middle. He is our ward mission leader and is so funny! The guy on the far

right is Avinash...got baptized three weeks ago! The girl with black

hair is our new investigator from Greece, and the other girl is a ward

member...good friends with Simon! Love this ward already!

"View from the Reading flat!"

Good-bye, Mitcham. Hello, Reading!

Email - August 26, 2014

WOW! Sooo, such a crazy day and week! We helped the Sisters in Mitcham move flats like all week! And, then on Friday night, President called me and let me know that I'm going to be a Zone Leader in Reading and that I need to move on Monday! So, everything got switched around and now Elder Popa and I have been driving people around all day - it's just been nuts! BUT, I AM SO HAPPY TO BE SERVING WITH HIM"!!!!!! Tooo happy. It will be so fun! But, honestly, I don't have much time! We have to get things ready to drive all day tomorrow! WE ARE GOING TO SOUTHAMPTON TOMORROW! Just to pick up another missionary! It will be so cool! haha I'm excited!

I love you guys! This work is amazing! I hope you have a great week! Thanks for everything!

-Elder Munson

Oh, and my new address!!

74 Quadrant Court

Jubilee Square

Reading, RG1 2GU

England

Things have just been pushing along!

Email - August 18, 2014

HELLO! Ok.. well, this last week was pretty good. But, to answer your question, Mum, the weather has been SUPER RAINY...only this week though. I have got to use my short sleeve shirts quite a bit! just not this week really. haha It seems that summer its nearing it's end here in England!

Sounds like you all had an eventful week! Back packing trips and dance competitions! Living the life for the final week of summer I see! I can't believe school starts! And, we all know how fast the school years go! It'll be time for me to come home at the end of it! CRAZY!

Moves calls will come this Saturday! I can't even believe that! Elder Heninger's training is nearly done! WHAT THE HECK?! I have been emailing Elder Popa today. He says that he thinks that I will be going there to Reading with him to be a Zone Leader! Which I would love cause it's Elder Popa, but would also be scary cause ZL's have a lot to do!! haha But, we will see what happens! I WOULD LOVE TO SERVE WITH THE LEGENDARY POPA.

On Tuesday, this last week I went on exchange with Elder Alejandre, one of our Zone Leaders. And, I went to Peckham which is their area. He is from Spain and the whole day we were just visiting people that he baptized in the past or whatever cause he finishes his mission next week! So, it was a pretty fun day! Besides that all his recent converts were Latino basically and attend the Spanish branch, so it was a full day of understanding maybe half of every appointment! hahahaah Spanish speakers ALL day! It was a good experience though!

Things have just been pushing along! It's been really hard on me knowing for such a long time that I am leaving! It's like, uh what the heck? I'm not even going to be here any more in like 9 or 10 days, but I'm doing my best to work hard and help the area as much as I can before I move!

Today, Matt, our Jehovah's Witness friend is taking us to do some fun things in central London! He is the man! It should be a fun day except the clouds aren't looking too promising at the moment!

Yesterday, we were trying to hurry home in the evening to get back to the flat so I could account with the district, and we were on a bus...the 127...and we needed to get a 280 to get us back home...and, they cross paths for like 3 stops. So we saw that there was a 280 in front of us. It was just a matter if the 127 could catch up to it before we got to one of the stops! so we get to the first one and Elder Heninger like started to hurry to get off to be able to run and jump on the 280 before it took off. But, I was like saying, "We won't make it! We won't make it!" But, I guess he didn't hear me and he jumps off and starts running the 280 down as it's taking off and the driver doesn't stop for him! HAHAHA So, I just sat back and watched the whole thing happen. So, he had to run back and hop on the 127 that we were originally on and the bus driver wasn't happy. Then, at the next stop, the 127 had caught up and was plenty close. So, we virtually just walked off and walked on to the 280. haha It was sooo funny to just watch Elder Heninger scramble around for a little bit though! hahahha We were laughing about it for the rest of the night!

Anyway! This will be an interesting week! I'll just probably go around to everyone and say bye and tell them thanks for everything! I've loved my time here! NEXT WEEK WE'LL FIND OUT WHERE MY NEXT AREA WILL BE! :)

Thank you all for everything! Honestly!

I love you and miss you! Have a great week!

Love from London,

Elder Munson

"Ellion asked for a blessing whilst he was in the hospital this last week.

He was released and doing great now. :)"

"The District + Zone Leaders."

"Eatin' that hard boiled egg for breakfast on our way to church. ;)"

"Parkour!"

On the edge of my seat...

Email - August 11, 2014

Hello! Wow, don't the weeks just fly by!? They do for me at least.

This was a really good week! We had President interviews on Tuesday which are always good! I got some info out of President that basically it's a sure thing that I am moving in a couple weeks! Plus, the Zone Leaders told me that I am basically good as gone. So, I'm just on the edge of my seat now wondering where I will be going and who my next companion will be! CRAZY! But, definitely I feel like it is time to move on! That doesn't mean I wont miss Mitcham though, CAUSE I WILL FOR SURE!

We had a really good district meeting on Wednesday! And, the day after I went on exchange with Elder White! It was pretty good. We tried a lot of funny different ways of contacting! Elder White tried this one thing where he placed a Book of Mormon just out in the middle of the walkway on like a railing, and as people would look at it when they walked by he would approach them and tell them that the book they just passed by will change their life, or he would ask if they have ever seen that book before. haha It was pretty funny some of the reactions we got.

Elder Heninger and I have been having a lot of fun! We had a pretty funny weekly planning on Friday, and we are just used to each other now so it's been really enjoyable serving with him.

Yesterday at church John walked in and had a tithing slip and was asking us how to fill it out and everything! Ah, it was so amazing! He is the most solid convert I have ever seen.

On Saturday, we met with two of our investigators, R____ and Y____. They are two teenage girls who are way cool. We set a baptismal date with them for September 13th which was great! I'm really happy and excited about them!

It's weird to think about leaving. It doesn't really distract me. It's just weird thinking that the people I meet or whatever I won't be teaching them for much longer!

Oh, and we found out that our mission will be instituting iPads and such around October or November. I received a letter from Grandma and Grandpa offering to pay for that for me! THAT WAS SOOO NICE OF THEM. Ah, I'm so lucky to have the best grandparents in the world. The whole mission is pretty excited to receive them. It will really help the work here, I think. Everything will be much more organized and the iPads will be a great teaching tool.

I taught the Elders Quorum lesson yesterday on Eternal Marriage! hahaha THAT WAS AWKWARD! good thing there was a lot of participation from the group from those that are actually married! hahahaa It went well anyway and I learned a lot from it! My 2nd counselor was supposed to teach the lesson, but he didn't show up! Nor did he tell me he wasn't going to show up! haha Oh well! It was good.

This Gospel is amazing!!! I am so lucky to have the chance I have to be out here spreading it! The last couple weeks have been so great. Daniel Sintim has blessed the Sacrament the last two Sundays, his first time ever doing that! And, he has a talk next Sunday in church! SO I'M JUST FREAKING HAPPY and proud of him!

I miss you all! and thank you all SOO much for all the love and support! It's the best! LOVE YOU!

Love, Elder Skyler Munson

"Nice Japanese girls I met on the street. I happened to have a card that

Riley Ottesen sent to me in the mail a while ago. So, I gave it to them and

they are going to contact him when they go back home next month. :)"

"The BYU students last Sunday was yesterday!"

"I still have that weird addiction of watching the washer...remember when I

would do this for days, Mum?"

"Haha, locking Sister Xayalath in!"

"Elder Heninger during weekly planning! The creep! Haha!"

"We eat grilled cheese so much!"

I miss you loads!

Email - August 4, 2014

Ok that video of Johnny is the funniest thing I have seen in a long time! hahah That was the best! Thank you for sharing that!

I can't believe it is August already! But J____'s baptism went really really well! It was a great day! President Millar even came to it, so that was awesome to have his support!

After the baptism, we were invited to a BBQ by our good friend Matt! I don't know if i have told you guys anything about Matt yet, but he is the man. He is a young newlywed guy...his wife is named Rosie and they are like the nicest coolest people ever. The way we met them is because they are Jehovah's Witnesses! and they were handing out their magazines at Morden underground station and we were talking to Matt, and we exchanged numbers...and that led to us and Matt meeting up EVERY week and just discussing doctrines and such! This last Thursday Matt gave a talk in their Kingdom Hall (their chapel). Elder Heninger and I went to support him and hear him. He did really well! But yeah, so Matt is just our good friend! And, we introduced the sisters to them and now they are good friends with Rosie! So, it's pretty cool!

Dad, your email was spot on! Tomorrow, we have interviews with President, so I will be able to discuss things with him! They only happen once every three months, so it was good timing!

The work has been hard! But, great as always! We have another investigator named S____ who has been coming to church, but due to work schedules, we have been unable to see him during the week! But, things are going well with him! If he continues to come to church like he has been the last few weeks, things will be good!

Elder Heninger and I have been having SO much fun lately! It hasn't been affecting our work in a negative way at all! Things have just been so funny lately and we don't know why. We are always laughing which is really good! hahah We started a quote book that is hilarious that we just write down all of our really dumb random things that we say..

And, Mum, no I haven't booked a driving test yet! I need to talk to President about it tomorrow to see if I need to take the test before the end of this moves or if I can do it after if i get moved! We just have to see cause the test has to be booked like a month or so in advance! haha

I can't even believe how blessed I am to be here doing what I am doing right now! It's such a great experience and I have been learning so much day by day!

Yesterday was a great Fast Sunday! The Spirit was really strong in our Sacrament Meeting. Elder Heninger and I both bore our testimonies, as did the sisters! It was amazing to hear Sister Xayalath bare hers as well! Her English has come such a long way - it's amazing!

I hope you have a great week everyone! THANK YOU FOR EVERYTHING! I miss you loads!

LOVE YOU ALL!

Love, Elder Munson

"The baptism of John!"