An High Priest of Good Things to Come

This felt like, by far, the fastest week of my mission. It was really awesome though. I had been praying for a really long time that I would have a fulfilling and enjoyable last week of my mission. Heavenly Father really answered my prayers. 

Last Saturday we had another car wash! It was really great. We had close to 30 cars come in. It was super hot but we had a lot of success with it. We were able to hand out a bunch of copies of the Book of Mormon and we even gave a guy a church tour! It was really sweet.   

We were able to see Mikey a couple times this week and we had some awesome lessons with him. We had to move his date to September 3rd so he can come to church a couple times before he's baptized. He was dead-set on coming to church this week but we got a call from him yesterday morning telling us that he had to got to the hospital because his sister was having a baby. So I'm praying that he'll be able to go this next week. 

So today I'll be reporting to the mission home at 4 and have a dinner and testimony meeting with everyone else who is going home. This transfer there are 10 Elders going home--and no Sisters! It's a really awesome group too. I've made so many great friends with other missionaries and it's going to be a great way to end it all. And then tomorrow morning we're going through the temple and heading off to the airport. 

It's absolutely crazy that the end my the mission is already here. There are times when I think back to the MTC and my first area and it seems so long ago. Then at other times, looking back, it seems like it was just a couple months ago. Time is a weird thing and I'm still trying to figure it out. But regardless of when it feels long or short, these past two years have been the greatest I've ever lived. I've experienced the best and worst of times. And I'm so grateful for each one. Because I've been able to learn a valuable gospel principle that I know will help me throughout my life.  

This scripture has meant a lot to me throughout my mission, Alma 29:9-10: 

"I know that which the Lord hath commanded me, and I glory in it. I do not glory of myself, but I glory in that which the Lord hath commanded me; yea, and this is my glory, that perhaps I may be an instrument in the hands of God to bring some soul to repentance; and this is my joy. And behold, when I see many of my brethren truly penitent, and coming to the Lord their God, then is my soul filled with joy; then do I remember what the Lord has done for me, yea, even that he hath heard my prayer; yea, then do I remember his merciful arm which he extended towards me."

I have experienced so much joy by being an instrument in God's hands. In forgetting myself and my own needs I've been able to see the value in helping others. I know that's the only way to true happiness and joy is by being in the service of those around you. And I also know that I don't have to be a full time missionary in order to help others. I'm looking forward to the future and what lies ahead and continue to serve others. This next phase of life is very exciting and I'm looking forward to the good things to come. Christ Himself is named "an High Priest of good things to come" (Heb 9:11). 

I know that this gospel is true and that it changes lives. I've seen it in myself and I've seen it in others. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God and that it testifies of Jesus Christ. I also know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of God. Most importantly I know that Jesus Christ is the Savior of the world. His Atonement is real and repentance is real. Living His gospel brings peace in this world and Eternal Life in the world to come.

I love you all! 

Elder Scott  

Ward Luau

Brother Fowler

 

Luke 9:29

The final week in the mission field is here. It feels weird and almost like it's not really happening. It hasn't really hit me yet which is actually pretty nice. Because I can still stay focused and sprint to the end, despite all the distractions. Don't get me wrong. I am so excited to see all of you again and just spend time with you. 

This week was a little bit more rough for teaching lessons. It seemed like a lot of our investigators weren't home when they usually are so that was kinda tough. But it was still good week for the investigators we were able to see! 

Mikey is doing pretty well. We were planning to have him over at a members home for a lesson but it didn't really work out. We stopped by with Brother Johnson and his son, Micheal (yes, Micheal is fellowshipping Mikey--it's perfect), planning to take him over to the Johnson's. But Mikey couldn't leave his house so we just had a lesson at his house. We taught him about repentance and baptism. It was a very powerful lesson and Mikey is doing very well at understanding. He's really excited to be baptized and make changes in his life. That's why is was a huge bummer when he didn't come to church. He told us during the lesson that he found a job where he will work from 10-5. But he would get Sundays off. But he still wasn't there. So now he won't be able to make his baptismal date of the 20th. He's still keeping all of his other commitments though. He's reading in the Book of Mormon and he's praying a lot. So hopefully we'll get him to church this Sunday!   

Last night we had dinner with this non-member family. We were going through some of the former investigators in our area book and there was this family we felt good about going to visit. When we first stopped by a couple weeks ago he told us he's not interested at all in learning about the church but that he would love us to come over for dinner. So we went over last night! It was pretty awesome. His wife is from japan and made this authentic Japanese dish--with chop sticks and everything! We had a really good conversation about religion. He's catholic and his wife is agnostic. We showed them the Hallelujah Easter video and they really liked it. They agreed to have us over again and learn more about the Book of Mormon. 

We had the ward luau last Saturday! It was a really good turnout. It was a lot of fun and Elder Beal and I were the judges for the best island attire. There were quite a few non-members there and also our investigator Megan came. We were inviting the members of the ward here like crazy to invite everyone they knew, and they did! We met a lot of really great people.  

We had our zone meeting last Saturday. It was all about the Book of Mormon and the power that we can receive as we strengthen our own conviction of its truth and as we do all we can to teach from it and help others to know it's true as well. It was a very powerful meeting and it was my very last one! But since then I've been thinking a lot about the Book of Mormon and how much I love this book. I know that it is true and it has helped me throughout my whole mission and I know it will help me throughout my whole life. 

Our ward mission leader, Brother Fowler, left out of town this morning and doesn't get back til next week so I had to say goodbye to him last night. He's one of the best ward mission leaders I've ever served with and I look up to him so much. That has been one of the blessings of my mission. I've been able to associate and serve along side all of these members of the church who are so much older and wiser and with so much more experience than I. I've learned so much from Brother Fowler and many other leaders in the church about living a Christ-centered life and be true to the gospel. 

Here's my scripture for this week: Luke 9:29

"For whosoever will save his life shall lose it: but whosoever will lose his life for my sake, the same shall save it."

I love this gospel so much. I love my mission. I love the things that I have learned and for the people I've been able to serve. I know that it's only by selfless service and putting others' needs ahead of ours where we will experience true joy. 

I love you all! Have a great missionary week!
Elder Scott 

Pics of the car wash

Free Car Warsh

More awesome things happened this week in our area. It was really good to see our investigators take some huge steps of progress in their conversion. 

We tried a new finding activity this week. We did a free car wash! Or as they say it here, car warsh! The church building is on this main road where there is tons of traffic. And we were thinking it would be a great way to serve in the community and talk to people! So we organized it with the zone and with the ward to have a free car wash. It was a super last-minute thing but turned out to be a huge success. We had two different car washing stations and at one point there was a line of cars for each one. We had quite a few non-members show up and we were able to talk with them. It was so much fun. I forgot to put on sunscreen so I'm a little red still but it was so great. The ward here is just amazing. Since it was a last-minute thing not a whole lot of people knew about it but we had a member post it on facebook the night before. But the ward still came through! They were constantly bringing us stuff to use and some even went out in the road to help wave down traffic. It was really great.  

Last night was insane. There is a town in our zone called Prosser that's a little ways out of town. Last night we got a call from the Prosser Elders telling us they're being evacuated out of their apartment. It's fire season around here and so it's been really smoky. Apparently the fires had spread to Prosser and it was right next to their apartment. Then later we found out that the Prosser Spanish Elders also had to be evacuated. So we had to figure out where everyone was staying for the night. It was all pretty crazy. But last we heard they're all safe now.

Mikey is doing great. He didn't come to church because he was working. But we had some amazing lessons with him! We taught him about the Joseph Smith story and he could feel the Spirit very strongly. He was very touched by it. We invited him to be baptized on August 20th and he told us he would! I'm so excited for him. He told us that he felt really bad by not coming to church and that he knows he needs to. We even got him some used clothes from the mission office that missionaries have left over the years that he could wear to church. He's still reading in the Book of Mormon and praying. Now we just need to get him to church!  

Megan is also doing really well. She's been coming to church now for the past couple of months but only to sacrament. This last week we had a lesson with her about going to church and committed her to come to all three hours--and she did! And she really liked it. Now she just needs to quit smoking!

Scripture for the week: Article of Faith 13

"We believe in being honest, true, chaste, benevolent, virtuous, and in doing good to all men; indeed, we may say that we follow the admonition of Paul—We believe all things, we hope all things, we have endured many things, and hope to be able to endure all things. If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things."

August is here. I can't believe it. I'm sprinting to the end though. I've absolutely loved serving in this ward. The member missionary work that is going on here is so exciting and so joyful to be apart of. It makes me look forward to being the best member missionary that I can be. Because even when I have to take off the name-tag, I still can be a missionary. 

I love you all!
Elder Scott 

Sprinting to the End

We had a super great week. We were able to do a lot of teaching again which was great. I love teaching! We also saw a lot of miracles with finding by our own efforts and finding through members.  

One crazy thing that was happening this week was with this new Pokemon Go app. I've never seen so many people going this crazy over an app. It's actually been working out pretty well for us because people are outside on their phones trying to catch Pokemon! So there's always lots of people outside that we get to talk to. So that's been good. And also another funny thing, apparently there is a "poke stop" type thing right in front of the church building. So there's always people going up to the church to collect items and other stuff. So last Friday we did our weekly planning at the church and waited for people to pass by to get Pokemon! Unfortunately no one came though... Maybe next week! 

One of the miracles that we saw this week was with Mikey. He's a new investigator who we found and he's so great. He's 17 years-old. His family isn't very religious but he was telling us that he feels that he needs to get into a religion to help him get on track for living a happy life. And he's right! He's so willing to learn. He read in 3 Nephi 11 and thought that it was awesome! Saturday night we stopped by his house with one of the Priests to get them acquainted and so Mikey could get some fellowshipping. He wasn't able to go to church yesterday. So the entire Priests quorum went by his house to visit him. We're really excited for him and his progression. The ward is doing an amazing job with him.

Another great thing that happened with the youth this last week was at girls camp! There were three non-members there. So it's been exciting to work with the members on the follow up. We talked with the Bishop a lot about how we can invite them to take the missionary lessons. So we're really working towards starting to teach them this week. Go girls camp!   

It seems like the ward is just booming with missionary work. With the upcoming luau and getting the ward involved with our investigators, members are telling us all the time of missionary experiences they're having. I love this ward!

We had interviews with President White this week. Like I've mentioned, he's very different from President Ware, but he is so great. After the opening prayer of the interview he looked at me right in the eye and he said, "Elder, you're going home soon. Are you sprinting to the end?" I said that I am and he said to me "Do it." He's a very intense man. He gave me a lot of courage that day to keep going and work my very hardest til the end. 

Here's my scripture for the week: Article of Faith 12

"We believe in being subject to kings, presidents, rulers, and magistrates, in obeying, honoring, and sustaining the law."

I love you all! I hope you have an awesome week!

Elder Scott