Happy Thanksgiving!

November 20, 2012

Dear Family,

Well, I am on to area 2. Maybe I will get to serve in Florida. :)

I will not be going Black Friday shopping. Although, Maybe my companion and I could go and pass out mormon.org cards to people standing in line. "Either listen to us, or lose your spot in line. Your choice." :)

Matt got his mission call?! Ah! Tell him congratulations!!! That is so exciting!

This week was great! Sister Sheffer and I were able to see a lot of recent converts and less active members. And some of the less active members we visited came to church. I accidentally prayed that their son would have extra strength as a mother at the end of the lesson, so I was especially happy to see them there. We taught the couple that I am always talking about the Plan of Salvation last week. the husband had kind of a difficult time in the beginning, but it was great watching him as he started to understand what we were teaching them. We role played them in District Meeting and we realized that maybe he didn't understand how and why we pray. So on Saturday we asked him to say the closing prayer. It was so great! I absolutely love hearing our investigators pray at the end of the lessons!

I am feeling quite sad about being transferred. I really don't feel like I accomplished what I was sent here to do. The Walters didn't get baptized. Hopefully this will motivate me to be a better missionary in my future areas.

I love you all so much! Thank you for all of your love and support! Have a wonderful THANKSgiving!!

Love,
 Sister Scott

The Bishop's wife gave us THREE bags of Reese's Peanut Butter Pumpkins!!!

BAM!! Be A Missionary!

November 5, 2012

Dear Mom, Dad, Rachel, Spencer, Ryan, Kyle, and Tyler,

How are you doing? Okay. So once upon a couple times this week I was showing people our family pictures. And every single time people pointed to Rachel and said "Look! It's you!" I would just laugh and tell them that actually I was the other one. :)

This week was pretty good. Sister Sheffer has been kind of sick. But I think we did quite well despite that. To be honest, I can't believe it is already Monday again. We were supposed to go on a turtle tour today, but our tour guide is up helping out with Hurricane Sandy. How are Holly and Jared and their family? Did they have to evacuate?

Let's see... what happened this week? We had a baptism! I was so happy! Not only that, but her nine year old daughter decided that she wants to be  baptized too! So we set her date for this Sunday! She is super excited! Her mom texted us last night because she wanted to know what she should be reading in the Book of Mormon.

We are also teaching a couple children of a less-active member. That lesson was pretty interesting. The mom told our Relief Society president that her children wanted to be baptized. However, when we got there they didn't really show any interest. But Sister Sheffer was basically amazing. The kids were talking and telling their stories and not really paying attention, then Sister Sheffer was like, "Okay, after you tell your story it's my turn to tell a story." The kids agreed and said what order each of them were going to take in telling their stories. Then Sister Sheffer told Lesson 1 like a story. When she was done the kids didn't even care about their stories anymore. They were quiet and they listened to the rest of the lesson and took it a little bit more seriously. I don't know if that really made sense, but it was pretty great.

This week we also went and helped our Catholic friend who feeds us every Sunday. We helped her for a little while and then she fed us some of her amazing food. And while we were eating she asked us some questions about our church. And she told us about how one of her friends whom she had really looked up to in her faith had just committed suicide. She then told us that if there was anything that we knew that she didn't know, she would like us to tell her. This was perfect! In Zone Conference a month or so ago Elder Cardon (member of the 70) told us that we know something that everyone else doesn't know. And that is what went through my head as we were talking with her. I really wanted to leave her with a Plan of Salvation pamphlet, but of course I didn't have one. I love this woman so much! And I would love to see her find happiness in the gospel!

I have learned a lot about perspective this week. It is our choice whether something is a good experience or not. We can laugh or cry about something depending on how we think about it. We don't know what other people are going through. Before we get offended or mad at what someone does or says think about maybe what they are going through. I guess you could say that I am a firm believer of giving people the benefit of the doubt. It makes life better and happier when you aren't holding grudges against people.

...Sister Sheffer may have been late to a conference call. Our ward mission leader didn't yell at us or anything, but you could tell that he was frustrated. You know how it talks about having your heart pricked in the Book of Mormon. That's basically what happened. My heart was definitely pricked. Pricking might not be as bad as a stab, but it still hurts. The worst part about donated blood is having your finger pricked. Anyway. Sister Sheffer was not super happy about how he acted towards us, but I definitely feel like we deserved the pricking. Plus, I feel like he has been under a lot of stress lately. He just hasn't really been himself. I really love our ward mission leader. He is wonderful. And we will just work harder so we can keep his trust.

I have learned so much by being a missionary. You boys should be excited! (And Rachel, and Mom and Dad, if you decide)  :)

I love you all so much! Have a super-duper terrificly wonderful week!

  Love,
     Sister Scott

Hey Y'all!

November 1, 2012

Dear Family,

Sorry if I scared you by not sending you an e-mail. I got your package! Thank you so much! Sister Sheffer and I loved all the stickers and toys and treats! And thank you for the post cards and the key chain! I love them!

I don't know if I told you, but I tried alligator a couple weeks ago. It just tastes like chicken. However, mentally it was still a little hard to eat. Alligator? Gross! It really was just like chicken only a little bit more chewy.

Speaking of hymns, there was a baptism for these cute little 9 year old twin boys this week. The elders in my area taught them. The night before the baptism they texted Sister Sheffer and I and asked if I would give a double talk on Baptism and the Holy Ghost. I talk about them all the time. But normally to older people, so I needed to change it so they could understand and so I could keep their attention. (I wanted to blindfold them and assign someone to be their Holy Ghost to lead them around the room, while other people were telling them the wrong way to go and leading them into chairs and such. But I decided that might be going a little over the top for a baptism talk...) I am also used to teaching two and maybe three people at the most. Now I was standing in front of a room of people. It was a little nerve racking. I thought, it's okay. I can just go over my talk during the hymns. Well, we got there and my name was on the program for the pianist. It all worked out though. We sang, Come Follow Me, which is what I based my talk off of. Plus, I played both hands for most of the song! (I told the Elders that I can play the right hand of any song in the hymn book, but there are only a few songs that I can play both hands -especially when it is on the spot. -And I know you are thinking that that song is super easy. And it is. But I never get to practice. Plus, I'm just not great at playing the piano...)

The primary program is in the next couple weeks for my ward and I will think of you. :)
I am learning how to be more on time with Sister Sheffer... Which means that it is time to go. But that just means that you will get another hand written letter this week. :) I love you all!

Little Miracles

October 15, 2012

Dear Family,

I love you all so much! It is always so good to hear how you are doing and what you are up to!

Georgia is great! It is cool in the mornings, but other than that it is still pretty hot.

You are going to Yellowstone?! That will be so fun! I haven't been there in forever! Ryan, Kyle, and Tyler ...have you even gone before?
Ryan, How did you hurt your shoulder?
Spencer, You are sounding so busy! I am so proud of all you are doing! And I am super excited for you to go on a mission!!!
Kyle, You are a pro bowler! And that cake sounds so yummy!
Tyler, It sounds like you had fun at the cabin!
Mom, You will have to tell me everything you learned in that class when I get back!
Dad, Elder Hollands talks was so great! I can't wait until the Ensign comes out so I can read it again!

So I am now reading the Book of Mormon again and the Four Gospels. It has been pretty neat to reflect on Elder Holland's talk. In Matthew 4:21-22 it talks about how two of his apostles left their ship and their father. This made me think about how I have left my home and my family to serve a mission, just like them. Only I think they served longer than I will. And I am pretty sure I have a more comfortable bed. But they miracles they saw would definitely more than make up for that.

Speaking of miracles. This isn't like making the blind see or the deaf hear or anything, but it was a miracle to me. This week was transfer meeting. President Barry announced all of the new companionships and their areas. When he announced my name along with Sister Sheffer for St Mary's and then he announced me as the senior companion. I figured it was a mistake since Sister Sheffer has been out for almost a year, so I talked to Sister Barry after. She told me that the announcement had been correct. I had already been feeling very overwhelmed about being responsible for all of our investigators and the Walters and having to teach my new companion everything I know about St Mary's, and being made the senior companion kind of put me over the top. Now it means that I am the driver as well. I don't know if you remember any of my past stressful driving experiences. (Like when I drove Spencer to camp and got lost.) The pressure and stress was very overwhelming.

Well, President and Sister Barry came to St Mary's to drop off Sister Sheffer's medication. The were about to drive away when I ran out and asked President Barry for a blessing. He blessed me with comfort and he said "Be of good cheer." After the blessing it was amazing. Before I didn't know where to begin with everything we needed to do. Now I knew exactly what to do. I had an added measure of energy that wasn't there before. It was amazing.

I need to go, but I wanted to tell all of you how much I love you! And I do have a testimony of the gospel and the power of Priesthood blessings.

Have a wonderful week!

Love,
 Sister Scott

I Love Y'all! :)

Oct 9, 2012

Aaaaahhhhh!!!!!!! Spencer, I am so excited for you!!!! Oh. My. Goodness. I can't even tell you how much joy was in my soul when President Monson made that announcement! I could literally feel something big about to happen before he announced it. Literally. Wow! What a special 18th Birthday!!!

okay, now that I have let all that out...

Dear Family, :)

I love you so much! Wasn't conference just great?! I feel so much better now that we have had all that council. And a little overwhelmed after Elder Nelson's talk... if you could pray for me to know the answers to all the questions that could potentially be coming my way, I would very much appreciate that. :)

I thought a lot about the Wilsons during conference. And all the other less active/part member families out there. How can we help them return to activity? I hope they were watching that talk and come to us and ask for our help. Because we can't help if we don't know what is going on. Okay. Not entirely true. God knows everything and He will prompt us to where we are supposed to be and who is in need of our help at that time. We just have to be in tune with the Spirit. Hopefully that talk just helps them to know that they can trust and come to us.

I loved the talk that Sister Dibb gave. "I'm a Mormon. I know it. I live it. I LOVE it!" She talked about how when our knowledge increases, our confidence in our testimony will grow stronger. Sister Gilbert and I finished the Book of Mormon before conference on Saturday! I truly have felt my confidence increase as I have read the Book of Mormon. I love being able to pull scriptures out and using them in lessons. In a previous General Conference Elder Scott talked about how scriptures being our friends. They really do come to us when we need them. And reading scriptures really brings the Spirit into lessons.

Lucky me! I get to stay in St. Mary's! I was kind of hoping to be able to have a fresh start as a missionary, but I kind of had a feeling I was staying. I really love the people here and it made me sad to think of leaving them. 

The Wilsons are doing well. They cancelled our appointment this week though. I know. rude. I was so excited to see them!

I am kind of starting to forget what chilly feels like. I am pretty sure I am going to miss fall this year, so you will have to take pictures of all the colors for me.

I love you all!! Have a terrific week!

Love,

  Sister Scott

Bowling with the District. I won!! :)

The yummiest banana pudding I have ever had in my life!

-with Sister Valley

It's a cup. with dirt in it. I call it a 'cup of dirt.'

ha ha Sister Gilbert tried to grow forget-me-nots. She asked if she was watering it too much. The thing with watering it "too much," well you have to actually be watering it in the first place. ;)

This is the Hindu Book of Mormon we are giving to one of our investigators. :)

1 Nephi 2:15

"And [the Sisters] dwelt in a tent." :)

I found friends with dogs!

-sorry their eyes are kind of creepy. But they really are cute!

It is officially fall! We had made pumpkin crafts with a member and had homemade chilli! :)