July 14, 2014

Not much this week.  It's been pretty hot here.  It's been over 100 most of the week, we are doing are best to stay cool.  We had a few less actives members and an investigator at church this week.  We were excited to find out that one of the less active members that we've been working with got his temple recommend and is planning on doing baptisms this week.  The work we have been doing is beginning to pay off.

We got our transfer call Saturday.  I am staying here along with my companion.  I've been here since the end of January and really like this area.  Most of my district is also staying, which is good because we all get along super well.  We also heard that they will be changing up some of the districts.  We are hoping that they do not change ours because this is one of the Elders last transfer before going home in 5 weeks. We are really wanting to stay together since we are all so close.  We will have to see what happens.

That's about all.

I love you.

Love,

Scott

July 7, 2014

This week was pretty good.  We had 2 less actives come to church Sunday, we have 12 less active members that we are working with.  We seem to find them all over the place.  We also found 3 new investigators this week.  One investigator wants to get baptized so he and his girlfriend can get married in the temple so they look promising.

For the 4th we didn't do much.  We went to a pancake breakfast then went and did some things around the house.  We had a lesson at 5 then came home since we had to be in by 6.  We did watched a few fireworks but nothing too exciting.

Yesterday we had dinner with a family and they had a non member family over as well.  The member family had met the non member family over the weekend.  We shared a Mormon message about the Restoration.  They had lots of questions, which we were able to answer.  They seemed pretty interested.

I wrote you a letter Saturday and I don't want to repeat too much.

That's about it.

I love you.

Love,
Scott

Here are my shoes.  I may need to get some new ones.

June 30, 2014

This week was alright.  Most of our appointments fell through which was a bummer and all the people we tried by we not at home either so it made for a long week.  We did do some service with our ward and helped a couple of missionaries with some of their investigators and members, so that's always a plus.
We had a couple of less active members at church yesterday and had a new less active member that we are working with that came and we are hoping that we can get him active again.
I had an interview with Pres. Ware, he told me that the ward here really needs me and that I'm doing a great work as well, helping a lot of less active members come back to the fold and this is where I need to be.
The week before we spend part of the day with a councilor in the stake presidency and helped put up the fence in mama's back yard that had blown down.  We also mowed her lawn as well.
Last week we had a softball game, I think I told you about, the less active member that we have been working with came and I was really surprised.  He couldn't stop smiling.  He told us that we were fulfilling our purpose and that he only came because were were there.  He later called us that night and told us that we had tricked him.  He thought he was having an interview with the stake president instead of the mission president.  He then thanked me for all that I've done for him to get the ball rolling for him to get active again and that he couldn't figure out how we always know how to help him.  He also said that after the softball game he went to talk to his dad and was looking through some old boxes and found his old mission stuff and on the inside cover of the 1st  book he opened was his patriarchal blessing, which I had ask him to read.  He said that now time for him to take action and to be active and take the necessary steps to turn his life around and that somehow I've been able to get to him and that I have only lived 1/2 as long as him and have done 1/8 of what he had but he turns to me for what to do to get his life on track and for advice.  He also said that I'm a great man even all 20 years of  me and that the two of us will have to figure out what action to take next for him.  He also wants me to come back and visit so we can go camping, fishing and rafting after my mission.
It's made me feel good when he told me how I've been impacting his life.

That's all that I have.

I love you.
Love,
Scott

June 23, 2014

I wrote you a letter which contains most of the week so I don't want to repeat anything.

The less active member that we have been working with is having an appointment with the mission president so I'm excited to hear how that goes.  We are also talking the less active member out tracting with us some time.  We will see what happens.

We had an Elders Quorum softball game last week.  We had so much fun.  We smoked the Elders Quorum.  I forgot how much fun it could be to play baseball.  We were also able to get the less active member to come out to the game.  He has a lot of fun.  We were happy that we were finally able to get him out to an activity.  His Home Teachers came over and visited with him, while they were they we walked by his place on our way to an appointment and he flagged us down and said that it went really well and that he was glad that they came over to visit with him.

That's about it.  Most of my week is in the letter that I wrote.  You should get it in the next couple of days.

I love you.

Love,
Scott

June 16, 2014

As you know last Monday was not our p-day so that threw everything off.  We were able to find some service to do, which was good.  We did some yard work with some missionaries, we took down a fence at a members house and then had dinner with Mama (the lady we live with).
Tuesday was our p-day and we were able to go to the temple.  We went to the 8 o'clock session.  We we go out of the temple we had lunch, then a member from Pasco took us to the driving range.  After we were done at the driving range.  That evening we stopped by some more people.
Wednesday morning some missionaries came over to do their laundry, then we went to lunch, while we were at lunch one of the less active members we've been working with called and asked if we could come over and help him put together a car part and also that he needed to talk to me, so after lunch we went over to his place and helped him and while we were helping him he asked why bad things happen to good people.  I asked him if he had read the book of Job, he said that he had.  I told him that some times our trials are to test our faith and if we show that our faith is where if needs to be then God will bless us more.  He then asked how long our trials last, I told him that it's different for everyone.  Some trials are easier and not as long while some are harder and last a lot longer and that it's the small and simple things that make those trials easier to bear.  He then went to explain that he is tired of Satan railing on him and wishes that he would let up long enough for him to get his feet back under him as far as the gospel goes and that as long as he is with his girlfriend come back to church because she is not willing to come to church.  He then went on to explain that  he went to his nephew's baptism and it took 2 1/2 hours to get his girlfriend to go and that it was like pulling teeth.  So he has decided to break up with her so he can be happy and feel the presence of the Holy Ghost in his life again.  I offered to give him a blessing, he feels that his dad should be the one to give him one.  Hopefully he will one soon.  He thanked me for being so stubborn and persistent in coming over and trying to teach them and doing service for them.  He then gave me a big hug and told me that I had no idea what I was getting myself into when I came over, but is glad that I keep coming over.  It was good to hear the impact that I've had on him from going over and doing countless hours of service.
Thursday we stopped by a few investigators and was able to get in with one of them.  We taught her the importance of reading the Book of Mormon and by reading a little bit everyday will help her stayed focused on Christ.  We also had a lesson with a less active member and read 2 Nephi 11-14 with them. They mentioned that they want to go to the temple and be sealed.  We told them what they needed to do to prepare themselves to go to the temple.  After dinner Thursday we had a member take to a couple of people.  We did get a return appointment with one, talk to another person that we have been trying to get in contact with for 3 months.  We got a referral from a part member family and was able to get a return appointment with them.
That's about my week.  Things are going good.

Love,
Scott

June 9, 2014

This past week was kind of slow because of transfers.  I got a new companion, I served around him in Vancouver and Pasco so things are going good.  We are work well together and trying to find those that need us, so that's a good thing.

Yesterday was kind of a weird day because it wasn't pday.  Today we went to the temple this morning which was good.  Yesterday we did a lot of service.  We helped a lady fill in the trenches left from getting a new sprinkler system put in and then we went to another elders apartment and help them out with some things and worked on a '76 Ford.  We were trying to figure out the wiring for the horn.  We also went to a members house and helped them take down a chain link fence, which didn't take too long.  So yesterday was a good day.

We taught a lesson to one of our less actives what want to go to the temple again, then we met with another less active member who want to go to the temple weekly, so that was great to hear.

Saturday we did more service and while we were waiting to be picked up I ripped a hole in the crotch of my jeans, which I was bummed about.  I was able to get them patched.  I think that the 3rd time I've had to get them patched so they are just getting broke in. Hahaha.

Well, that's about it.

I love you.

Love,
Scott

June 2, 2014

This week was pretty good.  Our investigator that was in jail got out, she still wants to get baptized, so that's good.  She was at church Sunday and was very active in answering questions during Gospel Principles.  We also had a less active member that has been out to church for the past 5 weeks.  He is trying to get an interview with the bishop so he can go to the temple to do baptisms.  He's really excited about that.  We have also talked to him about the Priesthood and are working with him on reading the sacrament prayers so he can bless the sacrament (he struggles with reading).

Transfers are this week.  I will be staying here but my companion is getting transferred.  My companion that I will be getting I've served around when I was in Vancouver and in Pasco.

That's about all for this week

I love you.

Love,
Scott