December 23, 2014 -- Restless

So, I am going to start with my medical issues. The lung thing, whatever it was, went away like it never existed. Woohoo! Go fasting!!! My heel thing is apparently because I wear hard sole shoes all the time. I might get to work in sneakers--do not know whether to be happy about that or sad. I think the salmonella went away, but I do not know. I was taking pills for it, and I finished them. So really I do not know. The toe thing, oh that one is the fun one. So, apparently one of the operations I had in the U.S. was done badly, and a bit of toenail was left in the side of the toe. This bit of toenail proceeded to grow of its own accord. I do believe I have super regenerative ability, just not as drastic as Wolverine. Anyway, this small bit of toenail proceeded to grow vertically out of the side of my foot so that I had two toenails. Because of the way it was growing, it opened a wound that got infected. I had an operation on said toe. It hurt much less than those I had in the States. I recommend Mexican doctors. They know what they are doing. :) I couldn´t work but two days of this week because I could not walk well. My toe bleeds, and it is healing pretty quickly. On the two days I could work, however, my comp and I managed to have more lessons, get more people to commit to a baptismal date, and have lessons with members than the rest of the people in our district. Muahaha!

We had the Christmas activity for the ward, which was fun to watch. Dancing, a game of stomping on balloons tied to other people´s ankles, jokes, talks--the works. Great stuff. I also went to the missionary Christmas activity, which was also really fun to watch. We had piñatas, gingerbread houses, and games I could not participate in. But that is all right, because when everyone was doing their activities, I got to sit down and eat their houses with a couple of other elders. And Pres. Muahaha. The mission president's wife also hit the hand of one of my friends when he rushed the candy after she broke the pinata. I found that absolutely hilarious. He lost all the candy he had collected. Other muahaha.

In other news, due to how much the leaders (missionaries who are zone leaders or district leaders) stress numbers, my trainee is thinking about going home. He says it isn't right that they are focusing on the numbers. I agree with him. I have learned to grin and bear things in my life, though, so I am not thinking about leaving. It is very difficult, though.

I'm very excited about talking with the family! That will be great. Also, I had to withdraw money. I used 5000 pesos this month buying medications and doing other random things that were definitely unplanned. 'fraid I had no other choice. At some point during the coming year, I will receive a portion of what I paid back, which will be nice. I just don't know when or how much. It is alright, though.

I received my packages. And a box of rootbeer? That is awesome! I cannot think of anything better right now. The jokes were really bad, and the letters were nice.

I hope everyone has a great week. Happy Christmas everybody!

Saludos, Amor, y Todo que puedo ofrecer a tí,
Salutations,
Love, and All that I have to offer you,
Elder Scott

December 16, 2014 -- Well, that was weird!

[WE ARE GOING TO HAVE A FAMILY/FRIENDS FAST FOR DERIK THIS SUNDAY, DECEMBER 21st. If you'd like to participate, we would love it! You'll see why below.]

I was answering all of the emails I had, and all of a sudden a bunch of police came in and searched the ciber. Really strange. They didn’t bother the people at the computers. They just came in, searched, and left. Didn’t say anything either. Mexico.

But, I have difficulties. I have a toenail growing out of the side of my big toe, vertically. Talk about strange. My heel is black from the infection that won't go away. There is something weird going on with my lungs that the doctors are trying to figure out, and I have salmonella. My work suffered a little this week due to the necessity of going to various hospitals and doctors. Apparently I will be fine though. In other words, life is really hard right now.

In addition, all of the people that I was teaching fell through. I had to find some new ones to teach, but that wasn’t a problem. Done. I spent the week in exchanges with another greenie, Elder C. He is from Venezuela. I got to do his first week of training. Elder M is from Chihuahua. Really the two guys are great.

I get to go to a missionary party Wednesday, and Thursday I go to the ward Christmas party. I am not sure when we will have time to do all of the other things we need to do. Christmas is busy for missionaries.

I talked to Luz and Lisbeth, (2 newbies for this week) They want to get baptized, and I just need to get their father's permission. The mom already said yes.

Thelma and her spouse are not actually married, she is married to someone else and living with this man. We are working on getting her divorced and them married so they can be baptized.

I am feeling lots of pressure right now. Everything is difficult. My body is freaking out on me, the goal the zone leaders set is 15 lessons with a member present this week, and that would be difficult without my other problems. I do not currently feel like I am making any kind of headway or difference. It is difficult. But I have my faith you know? I talked to a nondenom testigo who lied to me and contradicted what he was saying. He talked about rebuking demons and how he did it. The spirit his words brought was one of contention. I ended up just walking away. I do not like that feeling.

I do not feel like I am doing all that I need and can do, so I will be praying more, doing what I know to be right, and trying my hardest. So from one with a difficult life in the moment, I bid you adieu.

Saludos, Amor, y Todo que puedo ofrecer a tí,
Salutations, Love, and All that I have to offer you,

Elder Scott

So, while Derik was online posting these pictures, I had my phone with me and emailed him to try to figure out what a couple of them were. Here is the email thread:

Me: What are the pictures of the ring and the picture of the leaves? :)

Derik: The ring is a mason ring that a member found and let me to try on. The leaves are a dead cat I found while cleaning up the yard of the house I am currently living in. Other questions? (Love you!)

Me: Ring, cool--dead cat, gross!!! LOVE YOU!!!

Derik: :| You do not like my dead cat? That is all right. I have pictures of other dead animals that might please you. I will be sure to take more pictures of them until you like them. Do not worry. The change will be slow and painful. You will come to adore them. Yesss My precious. You will come to adore themss preciouss gatos muertos [dead cats]. Do not worry precciouss....

Haha, Love ya.

Me: I am laughing SO HARD!

Derik: Good. I like being able to make people laugh.

I love my boy!

Decmber 12, 2014 -- Letter from President Morales

Dear Scott Family,

I am pleased to communicate with you through this letter. I know the Lord is blessing your family through the service of your son as a missionary of the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.

As president of the Reynosa Mexico Mission I am very happy and grateful for your son, Elder Scott. He has showed his devotion and love for the work until this point in the mission.

I felt inspired to call Elder Scott to a new assignment as trainer. We know the Lord trusts him and has confidence in his willingness to do the Lord´s work.

Elder Scott needs to be an example with his new assignment and we will see his success as he leaves an impact on the lives of his investigators, companions, and in his own conversion.

I invite you to write him every week to encourage him to keep progressing and especially that he can develop more Christ like attributes.

I hope that everyone is well at home and that God will bless you to keep working in His work and being Disciples of Christ. I know that God blesses us when we are doing His service.

Kindly,

President Abelardo Morales Mendez

December 8, 2014 -- Crazy Weeks!

Sorry about no letter last week, I had absolutely no time to do anything. Right before Cambios (Changes) life got really very insane. These two weeks were crazy.

To start with, I got to perform another baptism--that of Alexandra, a kid we have been teaching for a while now. The plan was to baptize her with her mom, but the day before the baptism we found out that she is not actually legally married to her spouse/the man she is living with. Ouch. Then, the day of, the father got really sullen and wouldn´t let anyone in the family attend the service other than Alexandra. She left the house crying. Everyone in the ward that was invited to the baptism didn´t show up, but some good friends, also missionaries, had a baptism they let us crash and that was nice.

I can now officially inflate balloons with ease without a pump. Woohoo!

I got examined by one of the assistants to see how my training went and what I am ready for. He came to my area, and fought verbally with the people I contacted. I have to say, it was very strange. The visit was to see how ready I am for whatever comes next I have now been informed. SO, I am going to train an Elder named Elder Montes! That is really exciting. Elder Montes is great.

I am going to sing in something. I have yet to be informed what, but I will be singing in some missionary activity. That will be great. I love singing.

Uh, so I am really very sick right now. I got the flu and my foot infection hasn't gone away, but the doctor I talked to said to give it time. During the night my head hurts a lot sometimes due to the mucus buildup in my head . BUT, I am alive.

Aubs is 18 now! Feliz Cumpleaños! Congrats on living through another year of strangeness!

I got more investigators. So, that side of things is all good. And, now that I have a new companion, things can get rolling with these peeps! Also, not being the companion of district leader will be nice.

So, the new Zone Leaders only care about one thing: the number of baptisms you have. Well, it is better than the last ones who were stealing investigators from our area. All of the stuff that missionaries have to do--key Indicators--have become much easier now: contacting, lessons, everything. 

Also, it has become hard to write letters because I have started thinking without language; kind of weird, but yeah. Spanish is easier than English. 

The newbies in San Jose are really needy. My comp has to go with one of them, and I get the other one. Bleh. I have a lot of work, and there really isn't much time to do all of it! I want to visit them all, but there just isn't time. I am currently visiting 30 individuals, as investigators. I could tell you all about them individually, but there is no time.

Anyways, Love you guys.

Saludos, Amor, y Todo que puedo ofrecer a tí,
Salutations, Love, and All that I have to offer you,

Elder Scott

December 1, 2014

Derik didn't send a letter this week [ :( ], but he did send these pictures. Hopefully we'll get a letter next week!

November 24, 2014

Please read this part of the letter in the tone of “tired” or “exhausted”. This should not be read as “pessimistic”:

Well. This week was not very good. I got to do balloon figures at a birthday party, which was nice. The unfortunate part was that the food served I could not stomach, so the missionary looked like a jerk gourmet. I apologized profusely, but still. That is the only meal here that I have not eaten. We invited twelve individuals to attend church this week. None came--this after many promises, questions about if they could arrive late, the works. Pretty much everyone we were working with dropped us. So we got to do contacting and knocking doors a lot. Nothing. Friday, Saturday, and Sunday, we walked. Tried to talk to people, but nothing doing. Wendy and Jesus, 2 kids (14 and 11) that we had baptismal dates for are getting baptized in a Christian church. They did not specify which, only that it was the denomination to which their father belonged and that we were not to come back. Bleh.

Then there are the problems we have that are not missionary related that we get to help with, too. One of the Sister's mother has a serious medical injury in her big toe; it will cost roughly 100000 pesos to fix. Then will come the after treatments, which means more cash. The bishop doesn't have time to work with everyone right now because his job has him out of the house a lot, so the viciouscanaries [missionaries] are the transit to him. I was in a bus car wreck. Noone wants to listen to missionaries in ´The Season,´ too busy giving, partying with their friends, the works. Our Mission Leader does not attend church, and when we ask for help we get excuses. Just a whole lot of bad.

I have decided that next week will be better.


You may now read in whatever tone you wish. :)

On the up side, due to the wreck, bus transit was free. I bought a car speaker which works wonderfully. Some of the members are really great and work with us a lot. They even give us presents (usually food although sometimes other things). The infection on my foot is now accompanied by a blister, both of which I know exactly how to handle. In the other birthday party I attended (yup, I got invited to 2 in one week--hooyah) they had rootbeer especially for me! I am not going to say I cried, but it was a very emotional and tender time.

All of the other missionaries are you best friend, which is a little weird sometimes but also nice. Writing this letter is difficult because I cannot remember specific words and how to say them in English.

I am still pretty much the most unique person I know--with the whole lots of countries and life experience thing going for me.

So, yeah, going to be a little frank here. Pretty much all of our investigators who were progressing? They dropped us. They have their kids tell us they are not home after they open the door and we see them, say they are really super busy, don´t know when they will be able to talk again, etc. There are many excuses. On the plus side, I have gotten very good at being rejected. When we are received, that will make it feel even better than it normally does. We contact, knock doors, and visit members all day. It would be nice to have an investigator again.

I had Chinese food; that was interesting. It was like someone took the food, cooked it, and then poured buffalo sauce on top. It was good but not what I was expecting. And you know what? I love greens. Veggies are the best. We rarely have them because basically everyone here is a tortilla-eating carnivore. And beans. Cannot forget the beans. Those are really very important. A meal would not be complete without them in one of their many forms, including but not limited to soups, charcoal, paste, and many more types. Also Coke costs less than water here, which would be great, but I do not like it. Go figure. Unfortunately, I have yet to find a store that sells rootbeer. I must encounter one.

The zone leaders changed. I know absolutely nothing about the two that we have currently. It should be fun.

Yup. Life is hard right now. Hope to report some good stuff next week.

Saludos, Amor, y Todo que puedo ofrecer a tí, (Salutations, Love, and All that I have to offer you)

Elder Scott

November 17, 2014 -- The Road Goes On

Well. This week was really relaxing for me. All of my problems have dissipated, more or less. That means I can spend all of my time worrying about how to help other people, which is really very fun.

First, the problem I had with intestinal inflammation. Apparently, I should have had this like the first day, and it is really strange that an American only got this after two months in Mexico. Haha. The flip side story about that is that one of the other elders commanded me to get over it. It worked. And although I found it weird, it just goes to show that miracles can happen and elders can command them, regardless of what kind they need to be.

I do not know if I mentioned this, but some of the members in my branch/ward cannot get my name right. They keep calling me Elder Holland. He is really good at something called planchando (ironing, or reiterating a point in such a way that the importance of said principle of the gospel is not only important but imperative. Many times, this can mean painful.) Apparently I am really good at planchando. One of the members is a mother of 3. She is not married, and after much discussion and reasons that will remain undisclosed, she probably cannot be sealed with her first husband, who died as a result of a terrorist act. Everyone is telling her she needs to search for another spouse who is worthy of her children and with whom she can be sealed for time and all eternity. I brought out various scriptures to try to emphasize the point. They included D+C 88:14-24, the Spanish bible dictionary definition of mother, and other important scriptures: baptism is the doctrine of salvation, sealing is the doctrine of exaltation, etc. I definitely ironed that point in. We are working on doing all that we can for this sister, including getting her a patriarchal blessing. Can you believe that she didn´t want one? I couldn´t fathom it. Crazy. Anyway. I now feel a little bit worthy to be called by his name even though I think it’s funny.

Grandpa sent me an email warning me about cockroaches. I do appreciate the thought. I am very aware of the bug population of my house. Fortunately, I learned that if you keep a pile of refuse outside, all of the bugs stay outside. J I am kidding--our house actually doesn´t have a cockroach problem. The problem is the flies. They are everywhere. Sometimes it looks dark when it is light outside because of the flies. They’re usually not in our house, though. We keep it clean and close everything possible in an effort to prevent infestation.

I do not know what happened with that kid I gave a blessing to, have absolutely no idea. I hope he did all he could. You know? Because it´s glorious.

Rain is great. When it rains, I make sure to thank Heavenly father for the challenge, as well as a lot of the other things that are difficult for missionaries who have to be outside preaching. It isn´t easy, but it is worth it.

Nobody came to church this week. That means the two baptisms we had planned for Thursday have to get pushed back to next week. Tanto.

Talking to people really is very easy; what is hard is ending. I never know the appropriate time to cease a discussion.

My companion and I work with the members a lot. They do absolutely anything we ask them to. I have to say, it pays to work with the members. Getting to know them and helping them with their difficulties is the best part of the day sometimes. One of the sisters who we like a lot got really sick, went to the hospital, and the doctors say she probably lost her baby. I was unaware she was with child before I heard about it. We have been helping them out a lot. The kids accompanied us for lessons, but they all fell through. ´Tis difficult to be a missionary sometimes.

Love you guys,
-Elder Scott