Week 29 - A Taste of the Monsoons

I hope you guys are having a great time in the real world. I'm doing just fine in this one.

This week we had a baptism. I'm trying to get some pictures of it, but they're not on my camera. It was of Hna Hermelinda and her son Gerardo. They are learning slowly, but surely, and they seem very excited to keep coming to church.

Me after the biggest rainstorm of my life

We also have a baptism this week! Its for an hermano named Esteban. He's dating one of the members of the ward, and she's a recent convert. She's doing everything she can to get sealed in the temple with him. He told us it would probably be pretty hard to quit coffee, but that he'd try. When we saw him a few days later, we were expecting the worst, but he told us the best. He hadn't touched it since the lesson about the Word of Wisdom. His baptism is going to be between sessions of conference on Saturday.

It also rained a TON for about 20 minutes on Wednesday. We went up and took pictures of the lightning, and it just started pouring. It was the most water I've ever seen. Then it stopped. Everyone says it was nothing compared to what's coming in June and July.

During planning yesterday, we got a call from the Assistants to the President. They told me I'm going to be training next change! I don't know anything more than that and that I'm leaving Temixco. I'll miss this ward. They're a good bunch. But I'm excited to see where I'm going, and with whom.

Zone P-day at Dominos Pizza

Thanks for all the support from home, and happy birthday to my Gramma today! I'll see you next week with lots to of news, I'm sure.

Week 28 - Gotta love the [lack of] rain here

Gotta love the rain here...Because it doesn't. It's just hotter and hotter every day, But it's fine. I just might get enough freckles that they all join together and I'll be a morenito!

The Super Bocho

This week, we're set to have two baptisms! Hermalinda and Gerardo are all set to get baptized on Thursday. Hermalinda wanted to get baptized that day because it's her birthday, and when we explained that baptism was being "born again" she said she'd rather not have to change her birthday. We laughed quite a bit before explaining that it was metaphorical. 

I'm so excited for them!

More Super Bocho

Week 27 - Awesome Stake Conference

This week was actually super slow.

We've really just been doing a lot of contacting and finding. We had a huge list of investigators to find, and it has yet to lead to a single one, but it's alright. We're still doing good out here.

Our investigator Hermalinda and her son Gerardo are set to be baptized on March 22nd, and they're doing super great. They're the ones that don't speak the language that well. It's been pretty slow going with them, but they're very excited to get baptized. They live with their family that are all members, and they're super fun. They give us a lot of coke and let us ride in their Bocho (Old volkswagen Beetle) Their son Jesús just got baptized today, and the whole family is super excited for the 22nd!

In the Bocho (VW) de la familia Germán García

Hermano Esteban is also doing really well. He is dating one of the members of the ward, and she has been preparing him for a long time. He's a cop, so he works every other day. He was going to get baptized of the 24th, but he didn't come to church today, and can't get baptized until April, after changes. Who knows who'll be in Temixco for that. He's a great investigator. He really wants to learn more, and he's very ready to make and keep commitments.

We had Stake conference this week and that was so good. The stake president love the book of mormon and couldn't stop talking about it. He talked about how Mormon and Moroni fought bravely, for almost 60 years. They were probably covered in scars, wounds, and they probably didn't walk right. But after all that, what do they write about? Not their triumphs, not their accomplishments, nor their weakness or condition. They never complain or brag about their incredible acheivements or problems. They just talk about how Charity is the pure love of christ, or how children are pure in the sight of god, or the importance of the Holy Ghost. What manner of men are they that they are so intune with the spirit that they have gone through so much, but they are still able to hear such little, powerful things of the spirit.

If every stake conference is like that, I'll never miss one.

That's all for me this week. Hope you're all great. Go to church and Read your scriptures. It's honestly a great way to find happiness. I promise you won't regret it.

Elder Scott

P.S. Happy Six Months Elder Scott! We always knew you could do it! You're going to improve and grow so much in the mission! We're sure youre already the best missionary in the mission.

P.P.S. Thanks

Brother Garcia's baptism

Week 26 - [Th]e Elders [and] Israel

So, this week has been pretty slow for us. We have pretty much the same investigators as last week, but a lot of references from yesterday. Hopefully we can capitalize on such a great opportunity.

So, we have an investigator named Israel, and he's a bit strange. We gave him a Book of Mormon, and asked him to read it. The next time we passed by, he had all sorts of questions about Joseph Smith and the Restoration. Well, being the great missionaries we are, we put to rest all of his issues with that and went on our way. 

Elder Scott and his current companion Elder Fernandez

The next time we saw him, he said he was in 1 Nephi 16 approxamately. He then proceeded to ask us why Zarahemla is never mentioned in the Bible if the Nephites were from Jerusalem. It's obviously in that area, right? 

In this entire multi-zone area, there are
only two of us from my MTC Generation.

At this point, we realized that he was not getting his information from the same sources as we were. He was definitely watching some Anti-Mormon videos. We've been answering his questions, and decided to make sure our lessons are sincere and invite the spirit. Maybe then he'll receive an answer. But he thinks some weird stuff, like that the wise men are ghosts that visit him in the night, or that the Nephites are responsible for the Crucifixion of Christ. Some strange stuff. 

But he tells everyone he meets that they should talk with us. We have a few references because of him. We'll see if we can convince him to come to church this week.

We had a Multi-zona this week, and it was really cool. Presidente taught that as members of the church, there's always a higher law. With tithing, the lower law is 10 percent, but if you'v covenanted to the higher law, the lower law shouldn't be a problem. It was really cool, and president it really wise. It makes me sad that he leaves at the end of June. He has a lot of wisdom.

Also, the Area presidency of Mexico authorized that all missionaries in Mexico can watch the movie Coco, if we use it to help people do their family history. It was a good movie, and we have a couple of members who are really interested to hear more about their family history. 

Today we went bowling as a district, and I finally won. If someone asks What Elder Scott has learned in the mission, tell them its that I learned how to bowl a little.

Week 25 - Finding Nemo

Tag Pic with Mexican Coke

Finding Nemo - But instead of Nemo, It's investigators. Well, we really have just been doing that this week. We've had quite a bit of success, too. We've taught a bunch of lessons, and have a few with fecha. We even had a good Bible Bash.

We started teaching a lady from Oaxaca named Hermalinda. She lives with her brother, who is a member, and she wanted to hear about the church. When we got there she was very quiet, and her kids too. We we kind of confused why she would only say sì or no. but then her brother told us that in the part of Oaxaca in which she lives, they don't speak spanish.

They speak what's called Mixteco. when we realized that, we toned down the intensity of the lesson, and just taught the most basic principles. She is very receptive and humble about it all.

Week 24 - A Familiar Face

So, we had changes this week. We found out yesterday that Elder Contreras was getting bumped up as a zone leader somewhere, and I'd be getting a new companion. When we all met up for changes, we found out that Elder Contreras would be the Zone Leader for Zona Cuernavaca! So I'll be seeing him all transfer. My companion this change is actually someone I've done missionary work with before. Remember in my first change when I went on divisions because Elder Ortiz had Leadership Council? Well, the Elder who I went on divisions with, Elder Fernandez, is my new companion! He's from Veracruz Mexico, and he has five changes left in the mission. He and I have the same CCM date, Sept 12th. He was also Companions with Elder Murrane and Elder Contreras already. He's a cool guy, and I'm excited for this change.

Baptism this week with Leo and his family

Week 23 - Divisions, Sickness, and Investigators at church!

So, we didn't do a ton this week, but we did end up doing the three things listed above.

I've been sick for about a week and a half, and it's just now getting better. Luckily, they seel coughdrops as candy here, so it's actually pretty easy to find some when you need. Hopefully, I'll be better for next week.

We got haircuts AND I bought an awesome Mexico shirt.

We had divisions this week, and I was with Elder Murrane this time. He's going home next Wednesday. It was really cool for me to see how he works. He really knows what he's doing, and he's a really good missionary. He gave me some great tips on how to be a better missionary. 

We got haricuts and sat on a lot of busses, but we found 2 new investigators. We had a really good time. We actually went looking for an investigator, and It said the address was #20 Calle Otilio montaña. But the address led us to A collapsed lot with only rubble. We were super confused...until we turned around and saw that the house behind us was also #20 Calle Otilio montaña. We ended up finding out that there are about ten #20's in the same Calle. I guess you can just pick what house number you are, no matter what. That's just Mexico for you, I guess.