Whatever Life Throws at You Throw Back a Smile

Well, how was everyone's Christmas? Was there snow? I sure hope there was. We had a CD that had the the song that goes, "I'm dreaming of a white Christmas." Can't remember the name of it for the life of me. =) Christmas here was good. We were only allowed out of the apartment if we had an appointment or if we went caroling to members of the ward. This was the case for both Christmas Eve and Christmas. So we sat around the house most the time. We watched some of the church movies we have in our apartment and cleaned. It was pretty intense. ;-)

We had dinner with one family in Cielito Christmas night. This family is awesome. The dad is the second counselor in the mission presidency. the mom is just awesome. She always says that her house is our house and that if we don't have anywhere to eat we can just show up to eat. Sometimes at church when she sees us she asks if we have anyone set up to eat dinner with that night and when we answer no, because we haven't made the call yet, she says, okay see you at five and walks away!! We can't even argue with her when she does that! But the ham she made was SOO good!!! I usually don't even like ham that much but this ham was some of the best I've ever had. She made it with pineapple  mmm mm good. She asked us if we could play piano and we all answered yes but we're not very good. So she says well you need something to practice on (in Spanish) and she goes and gets this little toy keyboard that she has for her grand kids and gives it to us. It was legit. I could have just hugged her. Now as part of our companionship study in the morning we practice singing hymns with both the alto and soprano part. We're legit. I know. =) You should have heard us sing Noche de Luz (silent night) man, we were pros. The next time we saw her, her name is Hermana Zayas she says that her grand kids didn't even ask for the piano, they were too busy with all their new toys. So it worked out for all of us.

The rules are pretty much the same for today and tomorrow, minus the caroling part. We have to be back in the apartment at 6 tonight and we have to deep clean, do some "serious goal setting", plan for the next week, etc before we are allowed to have any free time. Then tomorrow we are only allowed out by appointment. So yep. It's gonna be one of the most exciting New Years of my life. I was just barely getting back into the hang of things again after Christmas and now we have to start all over again. Oh well. It'll work out. We're allowed to write letters after we finish all of the above mentioned stuff so maybe I'll have time to catch up on that big stack of letters I still need to respond to. =) Oh and I've fallen behind on my journal writing again so I'll have plenty of time to catch up on that as well. It's turning into a scrapbook kind of thing. No there are no stickers or cutsey stuff going on. Just writing and then the pictures that I've printed off that go with what I've been writing. It's intense man. One day my posterity will look at that and just be amazed by my stunning journal. =)

Nothing too terribly exciting happened this last week. We did get a referral from a lady who went to see the lights in Mesa and loved it but she forgot to put down her apartment number. fail. So we've started on a mission. We are going to knock every single door in the apartment complex to find her. It's gonna be intense man. The good news is that we've already found two potential investigators in the process. We have appointments to go back and see them this week after the festivities. They're both young moms with kids a couple of which are over 8. I've never really worked with a young family before. I'm excited about it. And we're not even one fourth of the way through the complex. It's really big.

Oh and we found this guy. So we got a referral for this lady who lives in this old peoples home. But she didn't put down her whole apartment number. There are four halls and each one has a letter A B C or D and every hall starts at number so the address would be A202 or something like that but all we have in 214. If you're ever going to send your information to the missionaries PLEASE put your whole address down. =) But while we were at this complex we saw this guy as we were walking out and he started talking to us. He said he didn't know anything about God and wanted to know more. He's probably 80ish So we were like okay set an appointment to come back. We went back and saw him and his daughter was there cleaning his apartment for him. She tells us he's a "pervy" kind of guy and that he has alzhiemers (sp?) Great. What did we get ourselves into? But we'd already invited him to church and he said he wanted to come. I thought he was nice. He didn't seem creepy to me, just old and slightly not all there. So we arranged for him a ride to church and he came. He ended up telling everyone he was already a member and he loves the feeling he has a church. It was quite amusing. My comps had to , like always leave early to head to the other ward we cover so I was on my own with him (and my companion for the moment Brenda) until I could find a male to take him to the classes and stuff. He kept getting lost and trying to leave the church building. =) I had to go get him several times. But he seemed to enjoy the whole experience and the family who we asked to give him a ride seemed to really like him. They went and visited him after church and everything. I just am unsure what we're supposed to do. I don't think we're allowed to baptize a man who's not all there. Oh well. Maybe we're just preparing him for the spirit world. =)

Well, HAPPY NEW YEAR my dear friends and family!! Be safe. Make good choices. Keep the Spirit with you. Love you all
Hna Scott

I Believe in Santa Clause, Do You?

Oh man. Well I spent all my time writing Pres Taylor...and looking at all the pictures everyone sent me. =) And well, I shut my thumb in the car door last night, so typing in a little difficult Don't worry, it's only slightly purple and the swelling has gone mostly down, but I still can't bend it all the way.

We had our Christmas conference on Friday. It was absolutely amazing. We did a temple session and got to walk around and look at the lights without having to worry about the investigators that we brought. I was secretly hoping the Holy Ghost had whispered to Carol to show up at the temple, but alas, I did not see her. We also listened to Pres and Sis Taylor speak and sang songs. It was really cool. It's amazing how the Savior is more of a focus now for me than the presents. Don't worry, I'm still excited to open them all tomorrow. =)

I love you all and I loved looking at all the pictures from the family party last night. It made me a little...I am not sure how to explain it. It's a sad feeling but at the same time it's happy. I love seeing all your smiling faces and the Christmas boxers you all are wearing. Part of me wishes I could have been there, but I know this is where I need to be. That when I do see you all again face to face it will be even more sweeter. Hopefully that makes sense. =) And I know, no matter what happens I will be with you all for eternity. What a great gift we have been given. Elder Nelson once said it is part of our human nature to long to be with our family,
that it's a human need. (he said it more eliquently of course.) That too is a wonderful gift. And don't worry. You can still send pictures. =) I really do love looking at all of them.

Merry Christmas!! My heart is with you all!! Stay safe and remember no matter what happens, no matter what you've done, you are a loved child of God. So loved he sent His only begotten Son here to die for you. Another great gift.

Much love and many many hugs
Hna Scott

Hna Scott

On the Second Day of Christmas My President Gave to Me...

Two new companions


Yes, that's right. I am in a trio.

I don't know if I've ever mentioned it to anyone before, but being in a trio is one of my worst fears about being here on a mission. (Followed closely by being attacked by a big huge killer dog, or running into that Muslim guy again who looked extremely not happy that we were there and followed us after we left his girlfriend's house). My companions are Hnas Greenwood (from the MTC. It's a good thing I like her) and Folsom. Hna F was Hna Holmes trainer. So we're in a trio and now we're covering two areas. A part of the Encanto (Loved) ward and a part of the Cielito (little heaven) ward.

And man.

It is intense.

It's weird having to learn to work with new people. Especially two new people. And (not that I'm saying I'm perfectly obedient) they just don't strictly obey the rules. Hna P and I would frequently talk about how we can be more obedient and with all the new missionaries that atre going to be coming in we are now "Tightening Up" so there are all these new rules that we have to follow that are little to help us brecieve more blessings and my two new companions don't follow them as closely as I am used to. I never thought I would say that, but I know that if I don't just accept and follow them I'll hate all these little rules so I have to make myself love them or else I'll just have a bad attitude. So I miss the level of obediance that Hna P and I worked on, but we're all adults and I hate it when people correct my behavior so why should I correct theirs? This is my dilema and it's not like they're doing something super bad, it's just the little stuff. Daily planning now takes twice as long and we have to keep the numbers divided because they're not combining the two areas permanetly (thank goodness) so our numbers are super super low. If you judged us just by our numbers it would look like we weren't doing anything at all. But that is not the case. Have no fear. Nobody answers the door. Or they're too busy bustling around getting ready for Christmas to listen. Which is sad. They don't have time to listen to the misionaras who will bring them the best Christmas gift EVER or listen to the story about Christ's birth...at Christmas time.

Who would have thought?

But do not fear. I do like my new circumstances. Usually. =) And we're learning how to balance two areas at the same time. My Spanish is taking off because Hna P is no longer here to do it all for me and my goodness I love the people in my ward. I mean I always knew it but the thought of having to divide my time between them and another ward was so devistating. But i have been given the gift of charity and am learing to love the people of Cielito. Oh and good news!! For the first time in WEEKS! (even though Hna P and I would go tracting for hours and hours) we FINALLY found some people who want to learn more!!! AHHH!!!! It hasn't happened since we found Olivia (who did not get baptized by the way.) (we've found people, but not people who are so completely prepared for the gospel that you can feel it) So for the first time in probably 3 weeks we have found THREE new investigators who are so ready to learn. (unfortunatley two of them are going to Mexico for Christmas, but I will count my blessings) I've been praying for this forever!! And it's finally happened!! WABAM!! God answers prayers.

It has finally gotten cold here. And by that I mean 40s-60s (I am no longer the designated driver =( , so I don't get to look at the temperature all the time) Saturday and Sunday it rained just about all day. My feet were wet and frozen, but it was on those days that we found the new investigators. =) Funny how that works, right? I have been asked to accompany an elder for the Christmas mission conference...and they asked me on Saturday and got the music to me last night. It's a good thing I'm a SUPER fantastic piano player and can just bust out playing amazingly all the time (that was sarcasm)...I knew I should have kept my musical ability a secret. So we shall see how that goes. I will practice the music for the first time today after we go shopping. And the conference is one friday. I will let you know how it goes.

Well, Christmas time is coming (and the goose is getting fat) There's not much I can do for all of you for this special day, but know you are in my prayers. Watch the Christmas devotional and visit mormon.org/christmas =) Will you do that? (what's a missionary if they don't leave commitments? =) )

MERRY CHRISTMAS!! And may you remember the true meaning of this time of year

Much love
Hna Scott

On the first day of Christmas my president gave to me...

Well, today we got a text. Any idea what it said? And, since it's a Tuesday that means that it's the last P day of the transfer.

Any idea what that means? Yep, you got it right. I'm not leaving Encanto. =) But Hna P is. Which is good. And very sad at the same time.

It's weird. I've developed a love for her that I don't think I've had with anyone before. Kind of like a motherly love. (I've never been a mom I know, but it's the only way to describe it) I've had to take care of her a little bit. Make sure she eats and sleeps. Make sure she's taking care of herself and that kind of stuff. But I've had to do it very sneakily like. Otherwise she just gets angry. =) I remember the day she was so sick she couldn't even get out of bed. Her headache was so bad she couldn't talk. And all I could do was sit there and watch. Watch as Pres and Sis Taylor told me this is just a cycle, that I shouldn't worry, that she does this all the time to get out of working, and if she doesn't stop she's going to be sent home. I just wanted to shake them both and scream in their faces, "THIS HAPPENS BECAUSE SHE WORKS TOO MUCH!!! NOT BECAUSE SHE WANTS TO GET OUT OF IT!!!" I have honestly seen her go from throwing up over and over and in a second as soon as a member walked over, she was perfectly fine and she then went on to ask him about his family his kids his job etc. That is not a person who wants to get out of work. But things are better now. Have no fear. =) She hasn't gotten sick in a while and after that experience I couldn't get mad at her for the little things she did that bugged me. I had to be by her side all the time working with her so she didn't work too much. And now she's leaving. I feel like these last two transfers have been like riding a bike with training wheels. And now the training wheels are impeeding the growth rather than helping. I'm excited to find out how I do this work when I don't have someone telling me exactly how to do it everytime, to develop my own teaching style/personality, to not always be the shadow that follows Hna P around. Hopefully that makes sense. =)

I have some very exciting news. =) Well, other than the fact that I'm staying here in Encanto. We're having another baptism this week!! At least one of our investigators is getting baptized, Olivia!! The lady I found and when I tried to speak in Spanish to her the first time it didn't even make sense, but she let us in anyway. She's had this doubt about Jose Smith for a while now and that's why she didn't get baptized before. Last week we fasted for her and watched the whole Jose Smith video with her. She told us the day after she watched it that she had felt it was all true during the movie, but that she went home and her family started bashing on the church and then she started having all these doubts. So we told her she's ready that she knows it's true and shouldn't wait. So she had her interview yesterday and wants to go through with the baptism this Friday!!! WABAM!!! The other investigator is Enrique. He's the one who had cancer and got a priesthood blessing and a blood tranfusion and since then has been getting better. Well, until recently. We've taught him everything. He knows it's true, but he's been getting sick again. He doesn't have a lot of strength in his legs so he doesn't want to get baptized because he thinks he's going to fall while it happens. But it should happen. And he needs to get baptized. If he keeps getting worse...well, he may not have much time left in this life.

Today, in the beautiful spirit of Christmas, we started the Chain of Charity. Baha. What a cheesey name, I know. But we paid a visit to the hermanas down south. Meaning Hna Macy and Holmes from the MTC and their companions (they live together, just live Hna Greenwood from the MTC and I live together with our companions) we heart attacked their door made them a cake shaped like a big missionary name tag and wrapped their door in wrapping paper and set forth the rules for the Chan of Charity. They have to do an act of charity for two more companionships of missionaries who will then do it for two more and two more and two more and so forth. Kind of like Pay it Forward, but none of us are going to get stabbed. I hope they keep it going. As soon as Hna P gets me the pictures I will send them on to you all.

Well, that's about all for now. =) MERRY CHRISTMAS!! Oh and check out mormon.org/christmas

much love
Hna Scott

Remember you are a choice child of God. Never forget it, always live it.

I always feel silly starting these letters. Like I have to come up with some smart, fancy way that's different than the last week, but I think sometimes I just start them the same every time...just like my journal entries. "Today we..." =) Oh well, you've just gotta bear with me.

Now, this last week.

Hmm.

We found this lovely lady. Her name is Juana. She is 76 years old and has lived alone for the the las 36 years. Her kids say it's her fault that she and her husband got divorced and all but one of them live out of state. The one that does live in Arizona lives in Glendale which is about a thirty min. drive from where we live and this daughter only stops by once a month. She has a sister who lives in Tucson that drive downs every once in a while to make sure she's taking her medication and to clean her bathroom. It really is so sad. On Saturday I asked her how her day was and she said that whether its Monday thrusday or sunday it doesn't matter because all the days seem the same to her. Oh my heavens it was so sad. And this lady is so precious. Everything about her is precious. She has these dentures that she has been saving up for for years and so her smile is so cute. There is one thing about dear Juana though. She's a pack rat. I mean it in the best way possible. She was born duning the great depression so she says she needs to save everything in case she's going to need it eventually. Do you remember that show on TLC that was about helping people clean out their houses. Well, she could almost be on that show. We walked through it all the other day and found like old old raggady ann and cabbage patch dolls with the special signature on them to say that they're legit. We also found a very vintage looking dresser. And she has art, like nice art Picasso and others shoved into this one closet. My heavens. =) This house is an adventure. I love it. Well, except the smell in the kitchen. =) Anyway we went by and started cleaning with her. We got rid of most of her dishes that she doesn't want already and cleaned out about half of the cupboards and cleaned all of her dishes that were piling up on the counter top for weeks and weeks. The ward is coming over on Saturday to help her as well. Hna P and I are hoping to get most of it cleaned out before then or at least all of her treasures so when the ward comes by it doesn't just get thrown out. Man, I love this lady. Seeing her all alone like this makes me so sad. Don't worry mom and dad. When you're 76 and if you don't have anywhere to live you can live with me. =)

Oh yes! And the most exciting new yet! I cannot believe I had forgotten already. Do you remember when I told you the two stories about Vero and Michal? Well, both of them have new chapters. We ran into Vero the other day when we were visiting the apartment complex she lives in. We when in and talked to her and found out that she was moving the next weekend. So we helped her pack. As we were carrying stuff out to the car we heard her son Henry who was always the sweetest little boy cussing up a storm at his little sister and then she returned it with full force. Oh my. It was so devestating to see the deterioration of their family like that. Vero had chosen to regect everything we had taught her. To throw it back in God's face in a way and now her children are not growing up with good values. It was so sad. Henry was so sweet and then we hear him swearing and threatening to kill his sister. It was so sad. And they moved. And Vero wouldn't tell us her address. So we don't know where they are. BUT! The story with Michal continues as well. =) After Wabaming him and reminding him what is expected of him, he stepped it up. He started taking in depth notes whenever he read the book of mormon he started to pray every day. And well on Nov 30 he was baptized. Yep. He was baptized. =) It was one of the best experiences of my life. You know that scripture that says all of our trials and tribulations will be swalled up in the joy of Christ? Well, I know a little bit more of what that scripture means now. All of the things that have happened so far on my mission are nothing compared to the feeling I had as I watched Michal be baptized and then yesterday on Sunday be confirmed. All of those things I had thought of as sad and hard became nothing as I saw him enter into the waters of baptism. And how great shall be your joy if you shall belp but one soul.

So that's just a little bit about my week. Hope yours went splendidly.

Hna Scott

We have the resposibility to see individuals not as they are but rather as they can become. I would plead with you to think of them this way." - Pres. Monson

Man. My goodness gracious. This week was intense. Many many things happened and I know I will not have time to write them all. Sad but it's tree. Don't you worry though dear reader. I have made it a goal to keep a very good journal so one day I will tell you all the stories because they are all written down.
Well, it is another transfer now, which means another exchange. This time I stayed in Encanto and Hna P left. And she went to PRESCOTT. Yes, Prescott which is like a two hour drive from where we live. So we went half way and met in some middle of nowhere cafe. Yes, it was in the middle of nowhere and it was so weird!! I live in Phoenix. There are people, lights, cars, houses, etc EVERYWHERE. You can drive at night and it is never truly dark. This was not the case on the way to the this middle of nowhere place. And the roads were curvy and had hills. It was an adventure Anyway, we decided to do this exchange last Tuesday to Wednesday. We're missionaries. Life doesn't change for us if it's a holiday or not so that didn't even phase us. Anyway, as the story continues Sis R came with me and Sis C and Hna P went to Prescott. Sis C doesn't have a lot of experience driving. So as soon as Sis R and I got in the car to drive to phoenix Sis R says something about how she's terrified for their truck who's name is Mary Sparkles. Fast forward to the next morning we get a call from Sis C telling us that she got in an accident on the way home. AH! They ended up swerving off the road and hitting a sign post causing $3000 worth of damage on the car, but do not fear both Sis C and Hna P were fine. Anyway, that meant that on Wednesday night Hna R and I would have to drive all the way up to Prescott and back to finish up the exchange overall a 4 hour drive. So we went throughout the first part of our day did all our studies which because I'm Spanish peaking and I'm training last until 1 pm. We went out to this apartment complex and did some contacting and I realized how much Spanish I do know. It was cool. I really can talk to people and understand. But I'm lazy and if Hna P is there I know she's going to do it all so I don't try. But with Sis R who only speaks the Spanish I taught her that morning I had to do it all and I was able to do it. Anyway then we got a call from Elder Rodgers (the Elder in charge of cars) saying we had to drop everything and drive to the mission office so he could drive us to PRescott because traffic was bad because of all the people trying to leave Phoenix for Thanksgiving. But before that we had to stop off at the mission home and talk to Sis Taylor. Oh my heavens. It was a crazy day. And I have now visited the Mission Home 3 times already. In the 2 months that I've been here. So I spent 5 hours in the car on Wednesday night driving to and from Prescott. Sorry if that story didn't make any sense. I feel like I just spit all the words out onto the screen and they may not be written in any coherent manner.

Sarah, has a request for a funny story...well Sarah, I have a confession to make. I am not very good at telling stories. Let alone funny ones. Its a talent I have not managed to develop yet. Sad I know but it's the truth.

But I shall try. I've old ya'll about our investigator Rosi, right? Well, a couple weeks ago we were teaching her in her back yard since she only lives with her dad and she's only 13 we can't teach her inside unless we've set up a member present. Well, this day we did have a member present but she was another 13 year old girl named Rebecca, so we sill couldn't go inside. There are two different types of people/lifestyles you find here. The ones who have steady jobs, money, have been a little Americanized, etc. Then there's the ones who raise their own food, they work in the fields picking melons or will do anything they can to earn money to feed their family, etc. Rebecca the member present is from the first mentioned groups, she doesn't even Speak Spanish. And Rosi well she is kinda a mixture of the two. Anyway. we were in her back yard teaching and Rosi's little nieces and nephews were outside in the back too and guess what they were doing to amuse themselves...? Any guesses? They were chasing the chickens around the back yard. Those poor chickens all clucking and trying their best to get away from these little children and eventually they realized they would be safe if they came over by us. So this one chicken just jumps right up on Rebecca like perched on her arm and she freaks out she's stunned and doesn't even know what to do. Yes, it was hilarious. My story telling did not even do it justice, but like I said, it's a talent I'm still working on developing. =)

This week was also Thanksgiving. We had 6 families invite us to dinner, we told 5 of them we would come over and we ended up only making it to 4. I'm still full. Food hasn't sounded yummy for days. But it was good. One of the houses we went to was the bishop's mom's house and it was so nice to sit with a whole family and to see their love for each other as a family. I dunno. Thanksgiving was harder for me than I though it was. I knew approximately what you guys would be doing at what time, like going to Jean and Kevin's and playing 7 Up and eating eggnog pie. Or going and seeing a movie or sitting around and looking at all the Christmas adds after everyone is done eating dinner. It was hard, but made me appreciate what I have even more.

The bishop's sister, Hna Moreno is so great to all the hermana missionaries. She invited us to eat with their whole family. She's kinda like a long lost aunt or something. I love her so much already. She has a sad story, but that ends well. And this is her story as far as I understand. She got married and had her son somewhere around the age of 19. I think she left the church around this time too. But things didn't work our all that well with her husband. He ended up being an alcoholic and abusive. (She's in Mexico at this time) So because she loved her son so much she left him. Eventually they came to the US her and her siblings and mom. She got residency went to school became a teacher and got re involved in the church. All for her son. She's amazing. I just love strong women. Women that can be caring charitable loving full of the spirit and then when need be they can be strong independent and stand for what they know is right. Anyway, we've been playing match maker with her and we think we've found her the perfect husband. =) As long as he continues to be reactivated into the church of course. But she made us feel like family. She's even giving us a Christmas tree for Christmas time. =) Her son is on a mission right now and she's so proud of him. She's always telling us how he's doing and showing us pictures. She always comes out with us because he's her only family her only son and she wants to be a part of what he's doing. She's so awesome. The end. =)

There's some stories for you. =)

Here's something from Pres Taylor:

Remind your parents and family of our two mission blogs - www.azphxmission.blogspot.com is the original site with Sister Taylor's posts and pictures from mission meetings, transfers, events and happenings, and www.azphoenixmission.blogspot.com (note that "phoenix" is spelled out here) is a new mission blog with answers to frequently asked questions from parents and family members (mission address, releases, visits, email/mail, etc.). Feel free to forward those to your parents.

Love you all. HAPPY (late) THANKSGIVING!!!

Oh and all Christmas gifts (not that you have to send any) should be sent to the mission office. Apparently they do this cool Christmas thing with everyone so yeah.

Much love
Hna Scott

WABAM!!

You know, it's funny. You look forward to P days just about the whole week so you can write your family, take a nap without feeling guilty, or start on that stack of letters that need to be responded to, etc. And then when it comes you realize you have no idea what to write in your letter home and there's no where near enough time to do everything that you want to do that day. Such is the life of a missionary I guess.

Unfortunately, Olivia did not get baptized. She was never able to get an interview because she got sick that day, like really sick. She's better now, but still has lots of problems with her digestive system, I think. They don't really teach you words like "intestines" or "stomach" in the MTC. =) She still comes to church and has just about every week since we first met her she usually comes to all the ward activities and she read the BofM the other day for an hour!! She has her interview tonight so we will see how that goes. We recently got a member to stay with her once a week after the lessons to take more time to explain things. The member ended up staying for TWO HOURS! And she managed to get Olivia's husband interested and to come sit down with them, which is something we've never been able to do. It was legit. Hopefully things go okay tonight and she can come to the interview.

The weather is still lovely here and hasn't gotten any colder than that one night when it was 55 degrees. The sky's here are gorgeous. In the mornings now the sun is barely coming up when we go out to run and it's a beautiful purple color. (Brinny, don't you dare say anything =) ) I do love my morning run everyday, mostly because that means I can run through my scales in my head. I'm almost through them all and then I will start on my arpeggios. (It's a good thing I'm a music major and don't know how to spell that word. =) and that the computers here have such outdated versions of the browser that there is no spell check on them.)

Don't worry about me on Thanksgiving. We already have 5 dinners lined up...okay maybe you should worry about me. Pray that I don't explode from over eating. =) Oh the other day there was a ward party for Thanksgiving and we got to keep the left over Jamica!! I think Jamica is just about my favorite thing here oh that and the tres leche cake. =) I mean, three kinds of milk, how can you get any better than that. =)

Speaking of milk, I recently went back to my old-new habits. The one at school where I could get a gallon of milk to last me two weeks. There's just not enough money to go through a gallon a week and well I splurged and bought cashews, crasins, bacon bits, tomatoes, cucumbers, this delicious popcorn chicken, and lettuce all so I could make a delicious and legit salad. I never realized nuts were so expensive!! So now I have to cut back on everything else. Oh well it was worth it. =) And if I'm careful they will last me a while.

Fun story of the week: we stopped by this house and asked if we could give them a card and bless their home. He said yes, but when we walked in the mom is like gagging trying to clean up this throw up all over the floor. Can you see where this is going? Yes, we served this family by cleaning up their dog's throw up and it was a BIG dog. It was an adventure. I just kept praying "Please help me keep my dinner down, please help me not throw up." =) Don't worry my prayers were answered. We successfully cleaned up the throw up and mopped the floor then blessed them and gave them a card for a free BofM. She said she would definitely call the number. WABAM!! Missionary work through service!

We had a mission tour with Elder Kolliker from the Seventy this last week. It was really cool. Very spiritual which also means very tiring. I left that meeting which was from 9am to 3pm feeling more wiped out than I do on any other missionary day. He gave us some tips to help keep recent converts active. It was legit. When Olivia gets baptized she will go to the temple for bautismos for los muertos no less than six weeks later. We will take good care of her and make sure the ward does too so she doesn't fall away. Or at least we will do everything in our power to do so, she always has her agency.

Well, that is all for now.
Much love
Hna Scott

I have fought the good fight...I have kept the faith - 2 Tim verses...well, now I can't remember. =)

Oh my heavens. I cannot believe it's almost Thanksgiving. This is crazy to me. Avengers is out on DVD, the Hobbit is coming out in Dec., this Les Meserables sounds epic...*sigh* don't worry I'm not going apostate or anything. I'm pretty excited to get to watch them all for free on somebody's couch when I get home. Just sayin'. =) I'm pretty sure it's the weather here. Because it's warm I think that time isn't really passing because if it was really almost Thanksgiving it would be a lot colder than it really is. Right now it's about 80 degrees. The last couple of days have been a little chilly though. One night before we went home it was 55. I had to wear a weater all day. I never expected this to happen. People kept telling me that it actually does get cold in Phoenix, but I didn't believe them. =)

Olivia should be getting baptized this weekend. She has her interview tonight. She doesn't feel like she's ready but she's acting on faith and is having her interview anyway. This lady pretty much rocks. =) Oh and the other day we prayer blessed this lady's home (in English which was so wierd by the way) and when I said amen she was crying. She kept saying this was so unexpected thank you so much for coming by. I really needed this. Etc. It was so cool. We made an appointment to come by the next day, but she ended up getting callec into work. Grr. That Satan. He would. But it was a pretty cool experience. The Spirit was very strong and obviously He touched her heart through me. Pretty epic.

Did I ever tell you about Vero? I can't remember. Well, she was the very first investigator I met out here on the mission. She's super nice always gave us this delicious drink called Manzanita (which means apple I do believe). Anyway, it got to the point that she wasn't progressing. She wouldn't do any of her commitments. One day we went by and like told her straight up that she wouldn't recieve an answer until she read the BofM diligently until she went to church and prayed. It was the weiredest thing. I was saying these words totally calling out this lady 40 year old lady I'd only know for a month. The Spirit wass almost tangilble. Kinda like an electricity in the air. I left that appointment so physically drained that I could barely drive to the next one. And I was in tears because I felt like I had cursed her. That I had said she would not recieve an answer unless she does these things and she would only recieve it from the BofM.
I was/still am afraid of that power that when need be I can use. A little silly I know. Being afriad of letting God use you as a mouthpiece. THat's why I'm here, but it really scared me and it still does. I guess I don't have enough faith at the moment. But don't worry. I'm working on it. And Pres Eyring once said let faith overcome the fear.

After that Vero wouldn't be there for her appointments and one day she told us she didn't want to get baptized that she didn't believe anything of what we had told her anymore. (Before I had gotten here she was ready for baptism. She had recieved an answer she had and passed her interview. She knew getting baptized was what God wanted her to do, but she wanted to wait for her son Henry to be ready) She said she had done everything she needed in order to know and God hadn't said anything so she didn't believe. It was so sad. It broke my heart. That was a sad story, but I wanted to tell you that that power to talk like that well it happened again last night and was basically the same thing again. Calling Michal to repentance saying if he didn't read the BofM he would never know because the BofM is what holds it all together. I hope this time the story will have a happier ending.

Oh and we had a conference with Elder Holland and Pres Eyring and Sister Esplin and the presiding Bishop this Sunday. It wasn't at our building so it was broadcasted and we watched it in Spanish so I didn't undersstand all that much. It made me thankful that I do speak english so I can hear these apostles speak in their real voices and hear the words that go with the expressions on their faces. (Spanish takes a little longer so you see that face that Pres Eyring pulls when he gets a little teary eyed and then you hear what went with that face like 15 seconds later) But I do love Spanish and every day I understand more and more.

Much love

Hna Scott

Well, it's time to go. Another week is passed. Oh and the title, well, I found that scripture today in personal study and I love it. That's what I want to be able to say by the time I get home.
　

Preaching is good, but sermons that don't lead to action are like fires that don't give heat or water that doesn't quench thirst. - Pres Uchtdorf

Well, another week has gone by, marking the end of my first transfer. Weird. But Hna P isn't being transfered like she thought she was going to be so we'll be together for another transfer, like we're supposed to be when someone is being trianed. Our companionship is going through some growing pains at the moment. Which is bound to happen when you work so closely with someone. I think, nope I know that I just don't play well with others. I would rather do it by myself. And I do better when I know that I have to do it and that there's nobody to fall back on. But that is not the way this life works. =) I will get through it. It'll work out.

 

For Halloween we have to stay inside, unless we have a for sure member set up to join us for the lesson and to drive us to and from the house, or if there's an official ward halloween activity, we have investigators going, and a ride to and from. So it looks like we have a lesson at 6 and at 7 we will attend the halloween party. =) If these things fall through we are expected to deep clean the apartment as instructed by Pres Taylor. Once we have cleaned the apartment we are allowed to take the time to relax.

 

So we went tracting this last week for a couple of hours. We met an English speaking family who are history fanatics. They love everything and anything about history. They were really nice and inteligent people. I automatically likeed they're oldest daughter. They are also hardcore Baptist. Those sermons where the preacher yells at the congregation pounds on the Bible. Yeah that kind. Pues, it was intense. They started pulling out all these "facts" about Joseph Smith, that he really was man whore and went around chasing married women, and that the Book of Mormon contradicts the Bible. That works are dead and all you need is faith all you need to do is believe in Him and not work at anything. Which if you read that verse correctly it says that in fact FAITH is dead WITHOUT WORKS. That we are all born sinners, that we are all born going to hell and we have to work to get to heaven that lieetle children are automatically doomed to live in fire and brimstone for all time and eternity. What a sad depressing outlook on life and on the character of Dios (God) Then as we were leaving the mom stopped us and said, "What if as you are walking back to your car, a truck came around and hitand killed you? You would find yourself in hell because you read the wrong book (refering to the book of mormon). Is that what you want? To be in hell because you listened to a wolf in sheep's clothing (referring to Joseph Smith) ? Go home and read the Bible. Not your silly Book of Mormon. And find out if this is really what you should be doing." Then we said goodbye and went on our way. It was a really interesting exchange. The whole time I did not feel angry or dislike this family in the slightest. I just felt sad that their knowledge has lead them to have this darkness. As we were walking away I had wished I had born powerful testimony of the truths that I know, but I didn't. I think on this lady's words quite often. Not the things she has wrong but the fact that she really had our eternal wellfare in mind just like we have hers. The difference is that we have the light of the gospel. We both felt like we need to knock that door so I am confident that somewhere along the line so good will come out of this exchange.

 

But some good news =) We have a 13 year old investigator name Rosie. She's pretty awesome. She has a baptisimal date for Nov 17. She reads every single thing we give her all the chapters all the pamplets and comes to us with questions about what certain words mean. It's legit. She's legit. She just soaks it all in. Oh and she relates everything we say to movies. We were teaching her the Plan of Salvation and she asks us if it was like this movie she saw with chariots in the sky and stuff. It was pretty funny. Anyway we were teaching her other day and we told her that she needs to start coming to church but she usually goes to her mom's house on weekends. So we asked her to pray about it, specifically if she should go to church on Sunday. So she did. =) Right then and there. When she finished she kept her head down and was wiping away tears. Hna P asked her what she was feeling and Rosie said that she was surprised, surprised by the feelings she was feeling in her heart. That she had gotten an answer right then and there that was so strong. It was pretty cool. So she came to church. She went with us to her neighbor's house Sunday morning who is a member and let that member who se had never before met drive her over to the church. She really liked it and her YWs teacher said she was really involved in the lesson. =) AHHH!!! Now we just have to make sure her parents are okay with her getting baptized.

 

Okay, that tis all for now. Peace out til next Monday.

Much love

Hna Scott

Hna P's B-day Party

I know you're all laughing about me feeling cold in 77 degree weather. Well, do not fear. I have had a mental peptalk and now it is no longer cold. It feels splendid. Last night at Hna P's surprise birthday party (it was her birthday yesterday) all the people there were commenting on how cold it was and I felt fine. =) It's perfect here right now.

 

Hna P had a birthday party last night. It was pretty awesome. I told a member that it was her birthday and then we were able to secretly arrange a little get together. It was pretty small at least as far as Mexican parties go with all of the inactive families we've been working with and a few others it was great. We have a fridge full of legit tomalies (nope, no idea how to spell that word) tres leche cake which is one of my favorite things ever much better here then when you get it at Cafe Rio, pasta y frijoles (beans). They have this tradition for birthdays that after you sing this mexican happy birthday song the birthday person has to take a bite right out of the cake, so they're the first one to eat it. But always someone pushes that persons head into the cake. That's the unsaid part of the tradition. =) Anyway, it was no different for Hna P. It's a good thing we didn't have another appointment last night because there was cake all up in her hair nose etc. =)

 

Anyway, this last week has been pretty intense. I didn't tell you earlier because I forgot, but we had some visitors here in the Phoenix mission on Saturday and Sunday. Any guesses? Elder Niel L Andersen. Apparently I'm supposed to learn something from this guy because he's also the only apostle who came to the MTC while I was there. =) But it's all good. Elder Maynes one of the seventy and Elder Cassau (or something like that) he's one of the counselors in the presiding bishopric also came and is French. It was legit. We all got to shake their hands and Hna P and I got to shake Elder Andersen's hand twice. One before the meeting as we made a quick trip to the bathroom and then once during th emeeting with everyone else. It was pretty cool. =)

 

Before the meeting started we were all instructed to stand when they entered the room. At one point everyone stood up like they were coming in, I don't know how to explain it, but I knew they hadn't really entered. The room didn't feel any different. And it was just Pres Taylor coming back in. Then when they really did walk in there was such a change in the Spirit in the room. It was amazing. And we all stood respectfully while they shook all 200 something people in the Arizona Phoenix mission. Legit. Elder Andersen all four times I've heard him speak outside of conference has always testified about Pres Monson and told us that he brings the prophet's love. It's pretty cool.

 

Then on Sunday the three authorities divided up into three of the stakes in the area and came and spoke at a special meeting. And it just so happens that Elder Andersen is the one who came to our stake. And our ward meets in the stake center. So we got to be in an apostle's presence again. Legit. Oh and our oh so amazing invetigator Olivia and her son Eric came so earliy they got to sit in the fron and they got to shake Elder Andersen's hand. =) WABAM!! Olivia has a baptisimal date for Nov 17.

 

THe next intense thing that happened is that we got to go to the temple yesterday!!! YAYHOO!!! We're allowed to go every 3 months. It just so happens that that three month mark for Hna P was in Oct. And her birthday is in Oct. So she made the arrangements even before I arrived go to the temple on her birthday. The APs did want to let her go since I went to the temple a little over a month ago and technecally shouldn't be able to go for another 2. But they eventually said yes!! So we went. Very early in the morning. The Mesa Temple is gorgeous inside and out and it's so different than the temples in Utah at least format wise. It was very beautiful. Then after that since we went to the temple that's the day that's supposed to be our P day. But apparently Pres Taylor set up a doctor appointment for Hna P on Wednesday and as soon as I sat down to read my emails we got a call telling us to head up to Peoria for this appointment. There went our P day.

 

So yep. That's all of the intense stuff that's happened the last little while. =)

 

Just a littl eabout the work:

We have 7 people with a baptisimal date. One was supposed to get baptized tomorrow but he felt like he wasn't being diligent enough in his scripture reading and prayers so we moved it back. Which is totally okay. I thought it was really cool of him to admit and realize that himself. He's dating a member of the ward, the one who arranged Hna P's party actually.

We have set appointments with most of our investigators and with all of the people who have dates. So if all of those citas (apointments) go through we have 23 lessons a week, not including the new people we try to find every week. Now we're working on setting schedules with the ward missionaries and members to come to the appointments with us.

We met with the bishop of Tuesday to ask what the ward mission plan is and to ask how we can better help the ward. Turns out ( like we already knew, but didn't want to tell the bishop) that they don't have a ward mission plan. So we are having a meeting next week with the ward mission leader bishop and all the missionaries to come up with one. We were also given the assignment to help with the visiting teaching for the people in our area. It was really cool because the bishop said that if the ward depends on the missionaries too much then they get lazy (which is true. A member of the ward said the other day, that it's their fault (the ward) that so many people have fallen away because they just ec[ected the missionaries to take care of it) and because so many people are converts it's our job as missionaries to teach them our to do their visiting teaching so then they won't need us any more. I used to be a little annoyed with obispo ( bishop) because it seemed like we had no support, but now I see that we just weren't communicating all that well. =)

 

Anyway, things are good. Love you all. Read the Why of Priesthood Service from the May 2012 Conference Report by Pres Uchtdorf. It's legit. VZery legit. I've read it twice now and keep finding good things in it. And it's from the priesthood session. Who knew, right?

 

Much love

Hna Scott

77 Degrees and Freezing!

Oh man. A whole other week has gone by. It's crazy how fast it all goes! But at the same time while you're riding your bike down the street with you knees together so your skirt doesn't fly up and you're sweating buckets off your back it seems like it's going slow. But then you get home at night and wonder where all the time went.

 

We did exchanges the other day. I had to go up north...English speaking. Bleh. And it was the day we planned to teach Olivia the first vision and invite her to be baptized. I was super bummed. But oh well. The sister who came down here and took my place is a wonderful lady, in fact you know her. Dennis told me she was here but I didn't believe him, you know since he's old and suff I figured he was confused. =) But he wasn't. Lori from the soccer team is down here teaching the English speakers in Deer Valley about the gospel. It's pretty legit. =) Her area is completely a biking area so I had to ride a bike around all day. Never before has my butt hurt so much in one day. It was cool to get to know some of the people they are working with and to realize that God loves the English speakers as much as the Spanish ones. =) I met a man who's part of a band. We talked music for a few minutes and I loved it. He gave me some advice on how to keep practicing the clarinet even though I don't actually hae one and told me how I can make it easier to play bar chords on the guitar when I get back. All in all a good time except I've been sick since. I think I got dehydrated and have been slowly recovering since then. 

 

So a while ago we went to a Noche de Hogar ( family home evening, but when translated directly it means night of home) The ward does a big NdH almost every monday and there's always legit food afterward. =) Anyway, this night we had to ride our bikes since....well our car got towed. It wasn't my fault. But it got towed so we had to ride our bikes and I was upset and tired. The bike I was using is crap and is an automatic gear changer. Then we almost got attacked by a dog and then I couldn't understand any Spanish when we got there. Sommetimes your brain just turns off and won't concentrate enough to hear process and understand the Spanish words. As we were leaving Hna Da Bomb (aka the relief society pres) and Hna Lapez started talking to me and I didn't understand any of it. So given all the things that had happened that day I just burst into tears, right there in front of them said disculpeme (forgive me) and left. Don't worry this story has a happy ending. Like a week and a half later Hna Da Bomb went with us to teach this wonderful lady Danielle. During the lesson Hna Da Bomb started talking about certain feelings that we have sometimes that are not of God and are of the devil. One of these feelings is dispair. Then she turns to me and says if the Hna Scott starts feelings dispair because she doesn't understand Spanish as well as she'd like this is a feeling of the devil and she shouldn't listen to him. La Hna Scott is learning Spanish at the pace that is just right for her. Oh my heavens. I almost just burst into tears again. Hna Da Bomb is amazing. She's one of my favorite people out here.

 

Anyway, after this lesson we walked outside and it's like 9:15 and it's freezing outside!! All three of us were shivering, but we had to talk real fast about setting up dinner with Michal for the next week. It's freezing cold and then we get in the car and I see that it's 77 degrees!! That's not cold. What in the world was thinking!!  This Arizona weather is already getting to me and I've only been hear a month!!

 

The work continues, so much so that we have to go on splits the next couple of days. The church rocks. Watch conference.

 

Jess

Hey y'all. Just sitting in the library writing an email. Nothing really new. How about you? I heard mom ran in the race in ST. George. How'd you do? Dad said you've been injured. What happened? Did you run the Top of Utah Marathon? My teacher from the MTC did. The next time he came to class he couldn't even move. His time was way good, at least that's what I thought. He wasn't ahppy with it. Did you stop by the St. George temple while you were down there? My goodness, I love that temple. And one day in like two years give or take a couple months I will drive drown there and do a session there. The baptistry was so beautiful. I can only imagine how gorgeous the others areas would be.

 

What'dyou guys think of the announcement in Gerneral Conference? I wasn't even expecting it at all. But in my defense the MTC and beng here we are shielded from any kind of news/rumors about things like that. You going to start your papers then Ryan? I was so excited for you when I heard that. Will you finish the whole year or go after the semester? Work on them with your singles ward bishop in Logan or with Bishop Darger? You'd better write me back. =)

 

Joshua, man. I haven't heard from you in like two weeks! Dude! How've you been man? Arizonais hot. And there are scorpions here. I still haven't seen any. But there was one in the church and one of the members squished it. And then there was one outside our appartment, but they killed it before I could see it. Then another day Hnas W and G said that they saw a one of those big hairy spiders that some people keep as pets and I can't remeber what's it's called right now outside our apartment but he ran away too fast to kill him or get a picture. But don't worry mom they sprayed poison stuff through all the apartments a few days after that so he's probab;y dead now.

 

Well, I figured I should fill you all in on a few things. We have so much work to do here in the Encanto ward. For the passed couple transfers the Encanto area and the Cielito area for the sisters have been combined. But with this last transfer and 24 new missionaries in the mission they were able to divide up the areas again. So basically the work is booming. We're just about always booked with appointments. We've only had time to go finding a couple of times and those times were very profitable. There's one lady, for the sake of  the story we will call her Olivia. Anyway we were knocking doors on her street doing Windows of Heaven ( where you pray about a street to go to the night before and then knock all the doors) Hna P kept telling me I had to take the lead but I always got so nervous that I never did. Until we got to her door. When she opened it I managed to blaber out, "Somos representates de Jesucristo. Tenemos pasar?" Whish means we are representatives of Jesus Christ. Have we come in? I told botched it. What I said didn't make sense. At all. But Olivia still let us in. We sat down with her and talk about faith and Jesus Christ asked if we could come back and she said yes. YES! We've taught her threeish time now. Including a church tour and giving her son, Eric a blessing because he was sick. She came to church all three hours the first sunday we asked her to AND she came to a session of general conference. Eric, her son, was super bored during it so we told him to tak notes and write down any questions he had and he did it, lik seven little post it notes full. By the way, Eric is 11! =) So that Olivia and Eric. They're both bosses. We still haven't been able to invite them to be baptized because one of the apointments fell through but we've repented and will invite them both the next time we see them.

 

Oh one other day when one of our appointments fell through we went and knocked on this door that was a referal but all the other times no one had been home. A woman around 28 answered. Her name is Cynthia. She is probably somewhere between 25-28 years of age and has 5 kids oldest is 10 youngest a couple of months. Oh my heavens they were so excited her oldest daughter just drunk everything in that we said as did Cynthia. She said previously she and her husband had been going to the LDS church in MEsa and the missionaries had been coming but then they moved. And we had founf them again! Yayhoo.! We challenged them to be baptized that first night and they said yes. We set another appointment and left. The appointment time came and no one was there. So this last week we managed to sstop by again. They moved. This wonderful little family so prepared had moved! I was devistated. As I walked back to the car, I thought to myself, "they're lost again. We lost them." And immidiately I voice in my head whispered, "They are not lost to me. I know exactly where they are." He knows where they are and someone will find them. He will direct a member or some missioonaries to knock omn their door again.

 

One more story, just last night actually. We walked by these group of men on their porch drinking PEPSI =) and they asked us what we were doning and hna P explained (in Spanish) They told her her Spanish is very good and one of them pointed at me saying "hablas espanol tembien?" And guess what!! I understood!! I don't know what the deal is but when people talk directly to me I can never untderstand. Even when it's something as simple as De donde es? whish means where are you from. But I understood!! Right away and I didn't even have to think about it!! WABAM!! And then...yes it gets better...Without even thinking I say. Un poco estoy aprendiendo. Which means a little. I'm learning. Without thinking!! WABAAAAAM!! It was so exciting. =) I didn't realize it right after it had happened, but last night while I was praying it was pointed out to me. Anyway, that is all. 

 

I love you all very much. 

Hna Scott 

Have I told you lately...

Okay, this letter is going to take the "Have I told you lately..." letter form. I got it from KT. (love ya) And just to shake things up I'm going to do it with you all =)

Have I told you lately...

1. That I love you.
And yes, please start humming the song. =)
Being here, in a place where a lot of people don't have a lot, where dads don't always love the moms and the moms don't always love the dads, where most people didn't graduate from high school, where most women became mothers between the ages of 15-18, it's made me realize a lot of things that I was blessed with that I never really thought about before.

2. Papa Scott, have I told you lately that I am so thankful that you love mom? There's an awesome mormon message about how to raise your daughters. You should look it up and it's all about loving their mother. It's great. A lot of the mothers here are single. Left to raise their kids alone. And it makes me feel so thankful that I have a mom and a dad and that you love each other.

3. Mom, Have I told you lately that I'm thankful for all the values you taught me growing up? I'm so thankful I was taught about God and about values at a young age that the things we should and shouldn't do in this life aren't hard for me because I started learning them at a young age. Thank you.

4. Have I told you Josh, man buddy I miss you!! I would love a big huge hug from my brother Joshua right now. There are a lot of ten year old boys around here. There's one that acts a lot like you. His name is Benji. He's awesome. His whole family except him and his mom are baptized. We're going to start working with him this next week. I taught our hand shake to some kids we are teaching. I hope you don't mind. Now I will think of you every time I do it. Love ya dude!

5. Have I told you that being in Arizona is just about the best thing ever. Yeah, it's like a 14 hour drive from our house, yeah it's hot, yeah there's lots of red dirt everywhere, yeah it's not somewhere across the world somewhere exotic, but it's where I'm supposed to be. It's exactly where I'm supposed to be. Right here in Phoenix, working with these wonderful people. Working with this amazing culture and language.

6. Have I told you that all the women here kiss you on the cheek when they see you? It was a little odd at first, but now I love it. So when I come homw and just go arond kissing everybody on the cheek don't think I'm too odd okay? =)

7. Have I told you lately that I love these people. I'm so glad I get to serve them. There are times, when we're going a little slower, when we're eating dinner with a member, when a little girl a member of a recent convert famly comes up to me and whispers in my ear that I'm pretty, when we're dring home from a cita (appointment) and the people have just shared their doubts their life story (you ask these people how they are and they WILL tell you. Don't ask if you really don't want to know. =) ) and I'm just overcome with love for them. The desire to make everything all better for them. My heart aches to hear of their trials past and present. I really wish I could make everything all better. But I can't. Sometimes it's overwhelming...okay, a lot of times it's overwhelming. I come home from citas and just throw myself on my bed, having to recover from what just happened. I am a missionary a representative of Christ and I am here to help them find Him. And that's the best kind of help they can get at the moment.

8. I know Pres Taylor told you that Hna P is awesome. But I want to tell you that she really is. She accepts me for who I am. After nine weeks of not being able to be myself, of feeling friendless and alone, of feeling more judged than I ever have in my whole life, I am finally able to be who I am again. It is the most bestest feeling in the world. She says I need to grow some balls (yes she actually said that, but in Spanish =)) and learn to be myself no matter what, that I shouldn't change or apologize for who I am no matter what. And she's right completely right. It's something I really do need to work on. She is dedicated to this work. So much so that's it's literally hurting her. She gets sick at night and just throws up for hours. Please pray for her. And really, she hasn't heard from her family the whole time she's been out here. (8 months) Her mom is blind and both her parents are inactive. So if you have a moment, when you write me a letter send a little something to her.

9. False alarm. I have to tell you now. False alarm. You really can send stuff to the apartment. They have these cool secret storage areas for packages that they put a key in your mail box so you can get your package. Which leads me too....

10. Eric and LeRoy, have I told you that you're the bestest aunt and uncle ever? =) On the Hill side at least. =) no, but really, thank you. You both are awesome and I really appriciate the cookies. Hna P says that you're both bosses. =)

11. Grandpa, have I told you lately... HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!!!! feliz cumplianos (I think that's how it is in Spanish. That's not exactly something they cover in the MTC =) I hope it's simply splendid!!

12. Have I told you lately that (somebody get this message to Adam and
Mitchell) congrats you two!! This really will be that best thing ever in your lives. I'm a newbie here, but I have already seen myself grow in so many ways!! Somebody fill me in on when they're leaving and how Paoola and Wendy are feeling about this news. =)

13. Have I told you that I'm not counting down the days until I leave, but I am super excited to see all of you again. I'm super sentimental. I try to pretend I'm not, but it's the truth. So being away from everybody that I know like this is harder than I thought it would be. You've all been great influences on my life. I love you all. Remember the church is true. Go to General Conference with a question and it will be answered. (Steph. you should go to. Or watch it online. Love ya girl. Have you still not gotten my letter?)

Much love, Hermana Jessica Scott

Well, if I get fat here at least it will be from food I actually enjoy eating. =)

Hey y'all hey!
This letter is being written from a little library about a ten minture drvie from our apartment. It's really big and echo-y. But esta bien.

=) At least we have a place to write from.

 Um, we live in an apartment with two other sisters. Hermana G one of my roomies from the MTC and Hermana W. I really like Hermana G. She's pretty cool and Hermana W is pretty cool too. The apartment is nice. We have a washer and a dryer in it so we don't have to worry about going to a laundrymat. We have dish washer but we don't use it. We wash everything by hand. But we don't have that many dishes so it's pretty easy. The apartment isn't actually in our area but is very close. The ward I serve in has something like 426 members but only 100 of them usually show up for sacrament meeting. There are six missionaries that work in the ward. Elder M, from my district at the MTC is in my district here. He serves in the same ward and lives in the same apartment complex.

Hermana P is pretty epic. I really mean it when I say I'm one lucky Hermana. =) She insists that she's not training me. She's just helping me. She had an awful experience with her trianer and she almost told Pres Taylor right before the "get your new companion meeting that she couldn't train me. She's pretty darn legit at Spanish and she knows every single member by name their conversion story and all their kids where they work etc. It's amazing. Granted she has been in this area for her whole mission so far (8 months) But oh my heavens she has so much love for those she teaches. It's amazing. Her family never writes her so really, Josh if you want to write her a whole letter that'd be way cool. Oh and you can send me real letters. I would like that a lot. And packages, if you send any should probably be sent to the mission home. Letters can be sent here, but I'm not sure if I would ever see the package if it was sent to the apartement.

The food. Ok well I've only eaten with one member so far, and it was a huge party thing so it was just sub sandwiches but they had this delicious drink called jamica. It's made some how from this flower and suger and my goodness it's wonderful. So imagine this: we're at a party with the ward celebrating a little boy's birthday. Its about 8:30 (we're there because the relief society pres asked us to be. They want the missionaries to know the ward better) The sun is setting and the sky here is beautiful. It's hot, but not too hot. Your clothes are only sort of sticking to your body. you're surrounded by all these wonderful people drinking jamica eating a sandwhich everyone's talking in Spanish and there's a blow up slide thing off to the side for the kids. Basically, it was a hispanic type party and it was wonderful. Never in a million years did I guess I would be doing something like this. Ah man. I can't even exploain it properly and for that I apologize.

The ward here is really great. They all make fun of me a little bit for my lack of Spanish skills, but esta bien. They won't in a few months when I've conqured (I really can spell) the language. Hermana P says that's when people will respect me. Because I'm white they don't pay attention to me that much but once I can speak the language really well I will have earned their respect. So pray for me. =) I sure need it. A lot of people speak at least a little English espeially the kids. The members are always so willing to go out and teach with us which is really good. A lot of our investigators have been investigating for months now. They've been taught all the lessons and now we're just waiting on them to act. They have baptisimal dates. We have a lot of investigators at the moment so most of our time is speant teaching them. We have done a little bit of contacting where we found two people who wanted us to come back. We do what's called a door approach. Since a lot of people here are Catholic we offer to bless their home them ask them if we can come back another time. It's legit.

We have one investigator Vero and her son who have recieved all the lessons. She's been extended a date but she has onlly come to church once so she can't be baptized. We ate at her house the other day and had these delicous hot dog thing wrapped in bacon. I forget what they're called but they're delicious. =) I also tried my first Jalepeno that night. Oh my heavens. it was just a slice and I even took out all the seeds and I still almost died. =) But it was good and went well with the hot dog thing. We also had this drink called Mazanita it's a kind of soda and is also very yummy. So like I said, if I get fat here at least it will be from food I like. =)

I did not get the bike yet. I forgot about it on transfer day because there was so much going on and no one told me I was supposed to get it then. I called Elder Rogers, the elder you spoke to and he said he'd get back to me about where it is and how to get it. So it's a good thing we have a car. =) Yep, we have a car and it's very nice. AND are you ready for this? I'm the designated driver. yep, I drive us around Phoenix not knowing where anything is. Though now I have finally figured out which way is north and sout etc. And I know the way to the chapel from our apartment. I'm learning.

I had a very interesting experience while finding the other day, but I'm not sure if I'm ready to tell it. No worries, nothing bad, just interesting. God works in mysterious ways is all. =) Anyway I think it's time to get off now. Sorry there's not anything super spiritual or uplifting this time around. I'm still getting into the hang of things around here. Oh and they don't teach you nothin' in the MTC. It's ain't anything like what it's like to be here.

Get me Ryan's email por favor

much love
Jess

Halo from Arizonia

 Letter written on Sept. 20th

Pues, it's kinda warm here. =) but it's all good. Everything is a little overwhelming pero I will learn. my companion Hma P is pretty darn awesome. I am one lucky hermana to get her as my trainer. Last night I taught my first lesson in which I bore testimony commited and told a personal experience. Latter that night I made my first contact with a referal we were given. We blessed her home and then set up an appointment for tomorrow. The mission pres and his wife are really great and so are the office staff.

Anyway, more will come on my actual P day. Oh and we get to go to the temple once every quarter. =) Yayhoo.

Address is 475 N 43rd Ave. # 104 Phoeniz AZ 85009
Love you all lots!!

Jess

Take my heart, take and seal it. Seal it for your courts above.

Letter written on Sept. 15th

 

Oh my heavens. Have any of you realized that I will be taking my first plan ride in my whole life in three days. CRAZY!!! Everybody makes fun of me because I've never been on one before and all the elders keep telling me all these horror stories sobre plane rides and all the bad cosas that can happen. I just shake my head and laugh.

 

So since this is the last letter from the MTC, I figured I would provide you with a list.

 

First list: Things I have learned about myself

 

1. I love being out doors. I didn't even realize this about myself until I got here and never got to be outside. Even when you are outside there are these over hang things over you almost everywhere you walk so you can't even see the sky then. I miss walking back from class in Logan and standing at the top of the stairs right next to the Spectrum. It's a perfect view of the whole valley and if you get there when the sun's setting it's even better. Ryan, or anyone else up in Logan, will you stop at that spot for me and just take in the beauty of Cache Valley? =)

 

2. I have been blessed with some very just completely awesome Spiritual gifts. =) Don't get me wrong, I'm not trying to brag or anything. God has blessed me with them because I have asked or because I could use them to help others. It's been amazing to see and notice them in myself. Things that I didn't even know I had until I got here. Or ones that I've developed since I got here. We read over them in class the other day, or at least the list Moroni gives and the Brinny sent me a quote with some more listed and suddenly I was seeing them everywhere.

 

3. I really can do hard things. Well, let me rephrase that. With the help of God I can do ALL things. No matter how hard they seem. When it all seems impossible, when there is no hope, when I have felt more alone forgotten and full of anguish than I ever have before all I had to do was remember my Savior Jesus Christ and it didn't seem so bad any more.

 

Second list: Things I will miss about the MTC

 

1. The milk

 

2. The excercise time. I did my last 20 laps around the track (two miles)  push ups (I can do thirty now) situps (90) and arm circley things today and it was a little sad.

 

3. The milk

 

4. The firesides and devotionals. Isn't it awesome that we get the chance to listen to real living apostles all the time?!? I love it!

 

5. The milk.

 

6. The people. My branch presidency is awesome. Basically. The end. Their wives are AWESOME!!! Oh my heavens! One day they'll all bemy neighnors in heaven. And believe it or not, I will miss the elders. =) They've all grown on me quite a bit. And they've all grown quite a bit. =) I wish I could be there to see every single one of the continue to grow

 

7. The milk.

 

8. Going to the temple once a week. Oh man. How I love it there.

 

9. The milk

 

Thrid list: Things I am excited for

 

1. I am excited to be able to spend time outside. In a couple of months when it's not super hot outside. =) Though Elder M's brother, who lives in Glendale by the misssion home says it's been quite cool there recently, only 105 degrees. =)

 

2. To have toilet paper dispensers that you don't have to constantly fight with in order to get more than one tiny sheet out. This is such a pain. AND all the rolls come out the wrng way.

 

3. To speak with some native Spanish speakers. Actually this thought scares me a whole ton pero I have to leaarn sooner rather than later. I did work with an elde from Phoenix who is is a Spanish branch down there during our in field orientation and we did the exersices is Spanish. I understood just about all that he said.

 

4. To get out there and teach some people. To really do this. To love those I serve to see them come close to God. To be an instrument in His hands, helping others repent, use the Atonement and go to the temple. Ah! I am so excited!!!!! =)

 

Okay, almost out of time.

 

Ryan, I don't care how many dates you go on, you always have time to write the coolest girl in your life right now, you older sister. =) After your mission one of them can be more important than me, but right now they're not.  =) Be home by midnight. I'm not joking. I am very serious right now. Go to church. Go to all your classes INCLUDING institute. Read pray and read and pray some more. And yes, I will continue to embarrass you in front of whomever happens to read these emails until I get a real letter from you. =)

 

Josh I hope you're well. I'm sending you a HUGE air hug right now!!!

 

Sarah, I still haven't seen these pictures. And I wrote you today so just be aware. =)

 

Jason havve you been practicing you trumpet?

 

Mom, Papa Scott HAPPY ANNIVERSARY ... yesterday. =) Love you both!!

 

 

Please meet me @ right now in room 290 - Batman

Well, this week has been pretty eventful and different and pretty much muy enjoyable.

 

Sarah still waiting for those pictures. Just sayin

 

Ryan I may have misplaced the letter with you email in it...will you send it to me again, please?

 

Jason, enjoying school? Made any new frieds?

 

Dad, Mr Smiles has not turned out. I won't lie, he doesn't look like a smiley at all.

 

Mom, how's school? Classes going okay?

 

JUASHOOOOOOOOOOOOOA!! Love ya dude.

 

There were a lot of different things that happened this week, which was super nice.

 

First....drum roll please...............bdbdbdbdbdbdbd. WE GOT OUR TRAVEL PLANS!!!!!! Yippy!! The end of this wonderfully spiritual place is within sight!!! We have to be at the travel office at 5:00...in the A.M. Our flight is at 8:35 and we are supposed to arrive in Arizona at 9:19. YAYHOO!!! It could be worse, I could be like Elder V and have to be at the travel office at 3am going to Canada. =) It was not a happy day for all of us though. Poor Elder H is the only one who did not recieve his travel plans. And Elder S and F made fun of him for it all night long. They even pretended that they went back to the mailbox and found his and gave him fake travel plans. Elder H had a rough day. But he's a ginger so that makes up for it. =)

 

Second, some Hermans on our floor invited us to play soccer with them duriing gym time. So we did. It was SOOOOO MUCH STINKIN' FUN!!! I have not played soccer in AGES!! My team won, even though we don't keep score here in the MTC. =) I definitely want to do intermurals when I get back. Not that I'm thinking about that a lot, but I have made a mental note that hopefully I will remember when it comes times to go back to school. Soccer rocks. Nuff said.

 

Third we hosted like I said last week. It was super fun. I took one sister around. She was super cute and she was going to New York. Legit right there. =) We get to do it again next week! I'm so glad, though it does mean we miss gym and part of personal study that day.

 

Fourth This last Tuesday durning choir before the devotional they were doing all the security stuff they did when Elder Andersen came so we were convinced it was going to be another apostle. Sadly it wasn't, pero it was a memeber of the Seventy who was from Germany. It was legit. They just moved to Utah and his wife told us how she loves to drive on the highways and one day she got pulled over for going too fast. She was so smiley and happy, so confident even though her English wasn't perfect. She was adorable. I learned a lot from her in regard to just being happy and not worrying too much about the language. Her husband who for the life of me I can't remember their last names right now, gave a really good talk about how we must have a testimony of every thing we teach our investigators. That is how Alma and the sons of Mosiah were able to be such good missionaries. They had truly experienced repentance so they could teach about it. It was cool.

 

Fifth An elder in one of the younger districts, Elder A, is someone who not a lot of people really like. He's still young, just out of highschool, just a 19 year old boy. Anyway, people get annoyed with him and judge him a lot. When he first came I talked to him a lot, mostly because even if I asked another elder in his district a question Elder A would answer. But I thought he was nice and he was struggling a little bit with being here at first, I mean honestly who doesn't? So I talked to him always smiled at him and asked him how he was doing etc. So the other day, I was feeling a bit sorry for myself, just wishing for the day I can get out of here, etc when in the lunch room Elder A comes up to me and says, "Hermana you are always so feliz (happy). It makes me felic to see you so feliz all the time." Oh my heavens I wanted to hug the kid...ahem excuse me. The elder. Pero I am a missionary. So I just busted out in the biggest smile I could muster and said thank you. It's interesting to me, that when you make the effort to talk to someone who looks sad or who needs a friend, you think at the time that you're helping them, that they're the lucky one because you listened to that small prompting from the Holy Ghost, that you did this great deed. But then later on you see that you've been blessed. That you are actually the one who's lucky, not the person who you talked to. It's the same with my friend Hermana H. I had seen her crying in the bathroom one day and I decided the next time I saw her I was going to go talk to her. So at gym the next day I did. Yeah, sure it may ave helped her that day, but a week later when I just needed someone there to hug me while I cried there was Hermana H, just hugging me. And she is a pretty darn good hugger. Pretty sure I am more blessed to have her as a friend than she is to have me as a friend.

 

And the last, which is for sure the best one, I got a note from Batman yesterday. As shown above. I just got back to class and there's this paper with Batman's symbol on it. On the other side he asked me to meet him. Pero I am a missionary, I can't meet a man, no matter how awesome he may be so I didn't go. But hey it's the thought that counts. =) Anyway, whoever did it sure gave me a nice long chuckle. =)

 

Anyway love you all!! The church rocks.

 

Jess

 

 

 

 

 

 

Nobody cares what you know until they know that you care

Hola familia! How was the first week of school? Fun? Exciting? Make any new friends? Tell me all about it. =)

Sarah. Pictures. ASAP. Need I say more?

Ryan, I'm sorry this isn't sent to your email. I forgot to write it down before heading to the computer lab. Will you ever forgive me?

Joshua, did you like your first week of school? Do you have anymore songs for me? They are always so fun to read and they make me laugh a lot. *knuckles*

Jason, you never said which classes you're taking. You must tell me. =) Or I will smash you/it with a hammer. (10 points to whomever can name that movie. Two hints: Disney. Epic)

Well, today I have two requests for you all. Maybe you could do it for FHE or something. It's super good. Please watch the movie Hubble teliscope deep space in 3D on Youtue (do not fear. Our teacher showed it to us so we weren't breaking any rules.) Then talk/think about it a lot. How did it make you feel? What did you learn about how significant you are in the universe. And I mean REEALLY think and talk about it. Then watch the Josph millett story, also availiable on YouTube. What does that movie teach you? What does it tell you about how significant you are in this universe? What does it tell you about how God feels about YOU as a person as His child? How well does He know you? Then if you so desire please tell me about what you learned. =) I learned a lot about it and then we can compare notes and just be happy. =)

We got new neighbors this week. And the great news is that we will leave before they do!! AHH! It's so exciting. We've gone through two sets of neighbors since arriving here. (yes, we're just that noisy at night they all leave ;) ) No, they've all be English speakers so they come then they go. This time we have some visitor center missionaries which means they're here for four weeks and then on the other side we have Tagolog/ however you spell that word. I can't even say it right let alone spell it. So we leave before them. It's so exciting! Come Tuesday we only have two more weeks here! EEP!! Oh my heavens, I am so excited. Role playing is great and can be really close to the real thing but everybody involved has to take it seriously. Sometimes even the teachers really struggle with that. I'm also exicted for different food. And a sort of different schedule. I feel like Jack in that one episode of SG1 when he keeps repeating the same day over and over and over again. Some days he enjoyed and tried something new and exciting. He had the opportunity to learn many more things than he would have in any other situation but there came a time when he was ready to use the knowledge he had attained to get himself out of the mess. I am in no way saying I am all knowing and am completely fluent in Spanish. I have two more weeks left and I'm grateful for them pero (but) I want to give all this stuff I've been learning a try out in the real world. Hopefully that makes sense. =) And for Sarah and Josh and the rest of you who haven't seen the episode, I apologize. I am a sifi nerd through and through. And proud of it. =)

We got a new teacher this week. Hermano T and Hermano C couldn't make their school schedules work together so we did a teacher swap with the next door neighbors. So Hermano T left. Our new teacher Hermano M is great. He's married and has been back from his mish for 2 and half years and has a one year old daughter. He has a certain level of maturity that we all need. Pur investigator, Matias has also left. It's sad because we got him to commit, sort of, to baptism and we were working on the Word of Wisdom with him, but alas we teach him no more. We have a new investigator named Andres. We have only taught him once, pero I see much potential in him. We just need to figure out how to help him see how the gospel can help him in his life.

We found out yesterday that we're hosting!!! I'm stoked. Hosting is being one of the missionaries that greets all of the new incoming missionaries. The elders pick everyone up at their cars then bring the sisters to u. We then take them to their bedroom, then to get their tags and everything, then to the classrooms. I'm stoked. I said that already but I don't know if you fully understand my enthusiasm. =) One, it's a change of schedule. It's something we've never done before and, two, it's gonna be fun!! Hello!

Steph, I just couldn't wait the whole week or so it would take for your letter to get to you so I'm telling you now. AHHHHHHHHHHHHHH AHHHHHHHHHHH AHHHHHHHHHHH AHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!! That's the best news basically EVER! At least in the Trek world. =)  Long live Janeway and long live the love between J and C!!!! Oh my goodness. I may have actually squealed out loud in front of my whole district when I read your letter. They already think I'm a weirdy, so it's all good. =) Oh I am so happy!!!

Love you all lots and lots. Never forget that you are a child of a loving Heavenly Father. Everything He does is for us, so we may become more like Him, so we can return to Him. Even when it's hard it's for you to become better. Love you all. The church rocks.

Jess

Be careful what you pray for 'cause you just may get it

Well hello there! Fancy seeing you here at this weekly letter time. =)

 

 Hmm...so you'd like to know know what my schedule is like? That's a fair question. I get up at 6:30 everyday. It's great. Nobody else has an alarm which means it's basically my job to make sure we all get up ontime. Which is good since that means I actually do get up. We have gym everyday. It's either right after breakfast or right after lunch. Which, by the way is not condusive (sp?) to working out in the slightest bit. When we have gym in the morning we have sack breakfast so we don't have to get dressed in chuch clothes then go change again into our gym clothes. At gym I run at least a mile. Yes, I can run a mile. Not very fast mind you, but I can do it. Sometimes, depending on time I run a mile and a half or two miles. Then I do some sit ups and push ups then some of the weight machines. It's good. I'm enjoying running I won't lie. I'm sorta alone when I run since my companion stays on the bottom floor of the gym and play volleyball. And we're not allowed to have "running dates" so none of the elders can run with me. So that's great. I have made a new friend at gym though. She's also Spanish speaking but going to California. Sometimes after running a mile I just walk and talk with her. She's great. And she's worked so hard to get here. We got here on the same day and are leaving the same day. =) Okay, so meals are at 7:00 breakfast. Lunch 11:30. Dinner 4:30. By the time bedtime comes around I'm starving. =) On Thursdays we do service after gym. I usually get stuck cleaning the toilets because Hermana H doesn't want to. But it's fine. I don't mind. I'm cleaning toilets for Jesus. That makes it totally fine. =) Fridays are P days. We do laundry in the mornign and have temple time after lunch. I love the temple. Best thing EVER. I honestly don't know what I'm going to do when I get to Arizona and can't go once a week. Oh, well. I'll survive. Everday we have personal studytime at 10:30. It's only an hour long. I seriously could have three hours of study time and be able to fill it all up. On Tuesdays and Thursdasy there's choir. I love choir. It kinda sorta makes me feel like I'm back in band. I love music. I love participating in music and it is one of the things that I miss the most. Every Sunday they let us watch musci and the spoken word. Whenever I see the teachers that teach at USU and also play in the Orchestra at temple square I get a little sad. But then I sing in the choir. I get to bear my testimony to apostles! through song. Just about the best thing ever!!

 

Yep that's right apostles. And this week we acutally had one. A legit one of the top 15. Any guesses?

 

Holland? No. Apparent;y he came in June so we porabably won;t be seeing him.

 

What was that? Oaks? Nope.

 

Uchtdorf? No! Though he's one of the ones I'm rooting for. =)

 

Monson...? Well...sorta. =)

 

It was Elder Andersen. And since it was President Monson's birthday we sang to him (and it was just about the most beautiful renidtion of happy birthday I have ever heard.) Then the whole talk was about MOnson. About what he would say to us if he were there. It was pretty epic. Won't lie. They say we;re supposed to have one every three weeks which means we may get on more while we're here. YAY! I'm hoping for Uchtdorf or Bednar. But any of them will do great. 

 

We have six hours of class every day. (ugh so much sitting) Na hour of personl study. hour of language study. An hour of TALL time, the computer program to help you learn spanish. And sometimes additional study. SO that's basically my schedule. Or at least a general overview. Any question?

 

No?

 

Good. =)

 

Mom, have you done anything with that Spanish BofM yet? How's that going for you?

 

Dad I cannot believe you didn't like Bednar that much back in the day. He's one of the first ones that I actually remember listening to his talk during conference. It was the one about taking offense. How it's always our choice to take offense. Sis. Jennings, the wife of one of the members of the branch presidency has met him and said that his hair is as stiff as it looks and that he's always worried about it and that he is as stiff as his hair. =) The elders and H. Taylor did the math the other day. Bednar is 12 years younger than the next apostles which are Uchtdorf and Holland at 72. So they've all decided Bednar will be prophet one day. =) Those elders...

 

Josh, dude. How's it going, man?! *knuckles*

 

So I really love the movies they let us watch on Sundays after the firesides. They're always great. This last Sunday we watched Holland's talk called missions are forever. Holland talks with such fondness about his mission. About how there may have been one or two days in his life where he hasn't thought about it, but other than that he thinks about it all the time about the lessons he learned and about the people he loved and taught. I want to be like Holland and have that kind of fondness for this adventure. THis adventure of a lifetime that will help me becoem more of the daughter of God that He would like to be. Holland also talked about how wjy missions are hard. They are. lready it's been the hardest thing I've ever done. But he said, Salvation isn't easy. It is not cheap. It was not easy for christ. HOW DARE YOU THINK IT SHOULD BE EASY FOR YOU!! That;s almost word for word. With all sorts of emotion and such ephasis on those words. Leave it to Holland to just tell ya how it is. So I want this mission to be one I look back on know it shaped me into the person I will be.

 

So after hearing that talk I prayed for it....

 

be careful what you pray for 'cause you just may get it.