17 Miracles...okay, almost 17 miracles =)

So last week I informed you about Hna M's (a member) idea to have a ward fast for missionary work. And we did it. We ended up inviting 12ish families to fast for la obra misional and their own missionary experiences. SInce then well, we've had so many miracles we had to start a Miracle Count on our huge white board in the apartment. =) 13 to be exact. Yep fasting man. It works.

The zone leaders tried to tell us that said fast was actually against the rules last night, but do not fear it's not. We're just not allowed to ask people at home to fast for special causes. So we were completely obedient. We are working hard and letting the members know that we want/need their help. Thus receiving many blessings.

Miracle #1:
Background: While I was with Hna G we found a less active in this apartment complex. One time when Hna G and Hna M (the member) went back to visit her (we were on spits) their house was infested with bed bugs.
Present: At this same apt complex with Hna M and our apointment fell through so Hna M asks about this less active. No we had not been back to visit her since that fatefull day. Should we go visit her now? Sure. We've got nothing else to do. So we go over to her house and this less active had moved. BUT there was a younger lady inside. She had just moved in 2 days ago. 2 DAYS MAN!! She asked if we were Christains and told us that we were always welcome in her house. Set an appointment. Went back. Told us that even though she's had 3 miscarrages, she has her 5 year old son and loves him and she knows this hard things make her stronger. She wants to change to become the example she needs to be for her son. Can we say SUPER prepared? Why, yes. Yes I think we can. =)

Miracle #2:
At the ward's mother's day activity on Friday night. We have a list of things to do to make it productive time. We're walking around greeting everyone and the music is SUPER loud. You can barely hear yourself think. We go talk to Hna A. Single mom and super legit. She says hello and then proceeds to half yell at us saying that she's bringing a friend to church on Sunday and she wants us to come meet her on Saturday so that she can feel more comfortable for her first day of church. The friend, Paola, is living with Hna A, has listened to missionaries before, but then had no interest. Now she says she feels like she NEEDS to be closer to him. She wants to repent and be free of the guilt of her sins. We read her parts of Alma 36 and she said that's exactly how she wants to feel. AHHH! Came to church. Loved it. Have a return appointment on Tuesday. And she will be invited to be baptized. =) I believe in miracles.

Miracle #3: Hna J, the Yound Women President gave us a referral a week agoish. We talked to her yesterday at church how she wants us to go about contacting and working with this lady. Last time she gave a referral to the missionaries they went without her and it wasn't as greeat as she had hoped. So she asked us to come to her house and have dinner with her and teach her how she can go about it so it will be more effective this time. She basically she asked us to go over and role play with her about how to invite her friend to listen to the missionaries. Maybe that doesn't sound too miracle ish to you, but really it is. She WANTS us to come hep her be a better member missionary. =) Have I mentioned that fasting works yet?

Miracle #4:
Background: A transfer ago I went with Hna F on exchanges to Estrella ward. There I met this lovely truly converted recent convert, Hna V, and her non member grandma. We proceeded to teach the grandma a spirit filled lesson. She agreed with all we said. Said that she knows this is what her husband who died a couple of years ago wants her to do and that she knows she'll see him again. Accepted a baptisimal date right then and there. She was baptized two weeks later.
Present: Last night we got a call from the zone leaders telling us that we have a member referral from the Estrella ward. He tells me the name and the name of the member who it's from. It's this grandma's grandaughter, Hna V's sister in law. Her brother has been talking to her about the church and told her he's sending missionaries over. Yep, we will be stopping by tonight. =)

Okay, so that's four out of the 13 miracles we've noticed so far in the lsat week. The highlights for sure. Others include a certain less active member coming to church dressed in a spiffy suit and it being the 3rd time he's come to church in the last month, Karen's progress in lessons, Hna M's help in the obra. Etc. Etc. =)

All in all. Great week. =)

Love you
Hna Scott

May 6, 2013

So this last week has been pretty eventful. It's been fun too. One we got a new zone leader last transfer. He came in and is pushing us all to do better, says that the zone is way below where it should be etc etc. Part of me wanted to get excited, okay I did get all excited to meet these new goals and this new vision, especially since Pres T challenged us as a zone to baptize 15 people in the month of May (5 per district). But of course I was too prideful to let him see how excited I was. ) Me and my pride man...well it is the universal sin.

So to go along with everything that's happening: we're trying really hard to get the ward involved back into missionary work. We haven't included them in a long time and the missionary spirit has been lacking. So as a lovely hermana in the ward suggested we decided to have a ward fast this fast Sunday. But of course the meeting where we actually coordinate these kind of things didn't happen this last week. So we spent all week going around and reading Alma 37:6-7 (by small and simple means God bring to pass the salvation of many souls) with members and talking about how fasting is something small and simple that they can do to help us. We mentioned how we can't do this work again and we really need their help.

We ended up inviting 10ish of the families in our area and the elders went and invited the families in their areas too. So we're really expecting great things in the next couple of weeks. =) It's really exciting. It's so cool to see everyone's desire to share the gospel grow. As we went around a lot of people talked about conference and that they know it's their job, that they want to share the gospel but don't know how. So, we've planned this lovely little lesson that starting tonight we're going to go do with people. Tonight we're practicing it with Hna M and her mom, then we ill put it into practice. So the plan is to read parts of Elder Andersen's talk from conference with them. Then read the part that quotes DyC theat says if we open our mouths it will be given us what to say. Then we're going to make the role play with us, role play talking with their friends and inviting them to church. Role play their friends asking them questions about the church and going over how they would answer. Yep. It's going to happen. Then at the end we're going to read the quote that says, "If you’re not a full-time missionary with a missionary badge pinned on your coat, now is the time to paint one on your heart—painted, as Paul said, “not with ink, but with the Spirit of the living God.” And we've made copies of our name tags with our names blacked out and we'll write their name there in white out pen. Yep, I think it's genius. =) But we'll see how it actually goes when we practice with Hna M. I'm super excited here. Already people are getting more and more excited to help out. Man, it's going to be good. =)

Hna T and I are doing great. There are moments when I see a lot of her in me, a lot of not wanting to get better because that means I have to admit I need to improve first. So it makes me feel more even more sad when she digs in her heels and won't do it. But I know I did it too. But I love her and I loved seeing her improve the other day when she did stop and think, when she leet the Spirit talk to her and help her find an inspired heaven sent question to ask. It was so cool. I think I was more emotional than the investigator was, but shhhh. Don't tell her that. ;-)

Well, I think that's all really. We're still working with Karen and Olivia. Olivia told us that she finally needed to make the decision. She basically talked herself out of all her doubts (about Jose Smith-that he was a bad man) by realizing that all good things that come from God and that all of the people at church are good. So if they're good why would they follow the teachings of a bad man. It was cool to see. So she said she'd make the decision that night, that she'd think really hard about the BofM about God and church and about what she really wants and needs in her life. But then when we came back the next day, her mom was basically dying and Olivia was talking to her sister making plans to go to Mexico before she dies...BLAST!! Everytime we get close with her some family tragedy happens. Last time it was that her daughter tried to stab her father with a knife and could go to jail for it at any moment. This lady...she is going to be the death of me. But I love her with my whole heart and soul. When we were their last she kept telling us how we've given her more hope, more desire to continue in life, that she appreciates everything we've done for her. I could have smothered her with hugs at that moment, but I didn't because she needs to realize that those feelings are from GOD not from us. LIke I said, she's going to kill me. But I love her.

Okay really now, goodbye. Have a wonderful week and a splendid mothers day.
Hna Scott

"As daughters of God we are each unique and different in our circumstances and experiences. And yet our part matters—because we matter." -Sis Dalton

April 29, 2013

Man. Well, we had interviews this last week. I usually really do like interviews. Besides the fact that I hate meetings and interviews usually are 5 hour long meetings. At the end Pres T spoke to us about the changes taking plae as of July 1st. If I'm here in Encanto, if I don't get transferred next transfer, I will become part of the Tempe mission. Which since I'm training it's very unlikely that I'll get transferred. But, stranger things have happened. It's kind of a bitter sweet kind of thing. Stay with my mission pres and all my mission friends or stay with the ward, investigators, and members I've grown to love. Leaving either will hurt more than I would like to admit. It was a really emotional meeting. Pres T and Sis T were crying and saying how we're their kids and it will be like saying goodbye to 32 of their favorite children. Man. I love those two. Then they made us all stand around a piano and all together we lifted it up with little effort. Lift where you stand he said. Whether it's in the APM or in the Tempe mission. My goodness. I don't like change. Not at all.


Durning the meeting Sis T was talking about how when it comes time for to take her name tag off she doesn't know what she's going to do. She's so used to people being able to see who she is and who she stands for that when that day comes she's going to be lost. And I was thinking about it too. I love putting my name tag on everyday. I love teaching. I love telling people how much God loves them and how He created this beautiful plan for them, just for them. We were teaching this girl named Karen. She's 13 and really wants to change her life around. Just looking into her eyes and saying, "Karen, He loves you and knows you can change." Then feeling the Spirit testify to your words and seeing in her face that she feels it too...man...yep, I've got the best job in the world.

This week we also taught a lesson in YWs for part of the Come Follow Me program. (have I mentioned how much I love that program?) It was so cool. Since it's the apostasy and restoration and Jessica, the YW leader wanted us to cover Joseph Smith and the Book of Mormon we started by telling all the cool stories we know about how God prepared for America to be established. (thank you institute) THat just got all the girls super excited. =) It was so cool for them to see how real history ties into the gospel. How for things to have happened the way they did, God's hand had to be in it. After that we went into Jospeh Smith and had them read the first vision. Then., like always after someone reads the first vision the Spirit was super strong. So we made them sit in silence for about a minute and a half and just hink about how the gosple how Joseph Smith and the BofM have changed their lives. It was so cool.

I love silence. I love when you just feel that peaceful feeling and just sitting in it. We really all should do it more often. Sing a song, read a favortie verse outloud, read the first vision and then just sit in Spirit filled silence and think about how it has changed your life.


Then they shared what they had thought about. One girl told us how with all the things Joseph SMith went through and he stayed strong. He stood up to everyone when they were trying to kill him etc. She said it helped her to know that she can always stand up for what she believes in. Man. Have I mentioned yet that I have the best job in the world? =) Because I do.


Well, as far as numbers and missionary goals this week was a tough week, but it was still full of really awesome stuff. It was full of the Spirit. And that's what matters. If you're feeling the Spirit that means He approves of what you're doing. So no matter if no one let you in that week, if your golden investigator told you that they didn't want to learn anymore, if you're sunburned


If you feel the Spirit you're still doing a good job.


Well, love you all. Have a great week. Keep being awesome.

Hna Scott