Entering Morrow County

Happy New Year to Everyone!

Christmas was super great this year! I love living in a members home and spending Christmas with them. They really did make me feel at home and it was nice being around a big family. Because that's what Christmas is all about! Remembering our Savior and being with our families. 

Laura's baptism is getting closer and closer. She's still doing really well and we're really excited for her. Because she's just soaking everything up and it been an amazing experience being able to teach her thus far. And we have another appointment with her today, so please pray that it goes well!

Skyping was awesome--as usual. That's always the fastest hour of my life! But thank you family! For making it so great. You all made it such a great experience and I love you all so much! After skyping I felt a rededication to this work. But it was so crazy realizing that this was my second Christmas on the mission. So I just want to do everything that I can to make every second count!

And it's snowing outside! Finally now that Christmas is all over, NOW it starts snowing. But hey, I love the snow, so better late than never.

Here's my scripture for this week: John 14:6

"Jesus saith unto him, I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by me."

I love you all! And thank you so much for all that you do for me and for all of your support!

Have a great week and a happy new year!

Elder Scott

Merry Christmas to All!

A Savior Is Born

Merry Christmas! 

We were so blessed this week! Pretty much every single day we were able to see a miracle take place in our area. Like I've said in the past, that's one of the best things about being a missionary, I've got a front row seat at God's miracles. 

We were able to find quite a few new investigators this week. One of them is Cliff. He's a part member family and we had dinner with them last night. His wife, Kimberly, is a member but is pretty less-active. But she agreed to have the missionaries over for dinner! So we had a really awesome conversation about the church that turned into a lesson. And we even invited him to be baptized by the end. He said he would have to really study it out first before he committed to it. He also said something really amazing that impressed me when we were explaining our purpose for being there. He said that he doesn't want us to say, metaphorically "'Come and buy my car!' But say, 'come and get a car like mine, and lets go racing together.'" I couldn't believe that an investigator said something like that. He really just explained missionary work so well! And he loves cars so that's what made sense to him. So we're very hopeful for them. They're such a wonderful family. 

Another new investigator we were blessed with was Alberto. We had a short simple lesson with him. He just barely moved here and is looking for a church to go to. He told that he wouldn't be able to go to church yesterday, but turns out that he showed up! So that was a nice little surprise. And he really enjoyed it too! 

Smokey officially dropped us. We had one last lesson with him and he told us very bluntly that he cannot believe what we have told him and that he cannot accept Christianity as a whole. Kind of a bummer. But since then we've seen so many other doors open since that one has been closed.   

We're pretty excited for Christmas. I can't believe that this is my second one in the field. It's interesting looking back to last Christmas in Omak with Elder Pullman. Feels like a couple months ago, but it was actually an entire year ago! And now this year is coming to a close. 

Here's my scripture this week: Isaiah 9:6 

"For unto us a child is born, unto us a son is given: and the government shall be upon his shoulder: and his name shall be called Wonderful, Counsellor, The mighty God,The everlasting Father, The Prince of Peace."

Such a powerful verse. And almost impossible to read without Handel's tune in your head. I love this time of year! A time of family and a time of Christ. I hope all of you have an amazing Christ-centered Christmas this year and enjoy this time to remember Jesus Christ. 

I love you all! Happy Christmas! Feliz Navidad! 

Elder Scott   

The 12 Days of Christmas!

Hello Family!

This week was just so great. So many amazing things happened. I just don't know where to start! 

President Ware has asked us to strive to find a new investigator every single day this week. And with us striving to do that, we've truly been able to see the Lord's hand in the work. We were able to see so many miracles and amazing things happen which is always just an amazing blessing to be apart of.   

One of the new investigators that the Lord blessed us with is this girl named Laura. She is the girlfriend of one of the members here in Boardman. She's been super interested in the church for a while now. I have no idea why it took her this long for her to meet with missionaries, but we were able to teach her last Saturday. Seriously one of the most Spiritual lessons I've ever taught in my entire mission. It was our first lesson with her so we were getting to know her a bit and discerning her needs. We originally planned on teaching the Restoration but instead we felt prompted to teach the Plan of Salvation. It was just such an incredible lesson from start to finish. I remember during that lesson feeling so happy and so joyful. And I hadn't really felt that much joy in a pretty long time, so it was a really amazing experience. And she is now preparing to be baptized on December 26th. Pretty soon. But she's so ready. And she also came to church yesterday as well! She had to go to the 6pm Spanish Sacrament Meeting that meets in a different town because she worked in the afternoon--good thing she speaks Spanish!   

Unfortunately with Smokey, we're going to have to take a little break with him. He told us that he wants a little time to think things over. We're definitely not giving up on him though! 

We have our mission Christmas Conference tomorrow. I remember having a really good time last year so I'm really looking forward to it this year.   

We also had our ward Christmas party last Friday. We had a really great turn out. This ward is so great. And I've already come to love them so much. We were able to share a little Christmas thought and show the churches Christmas video.   

It's been CRAZY warm this week. There was one day where it got up to the 70's. Really odd. It felt awesome though. But, it's already started to dip down again into colder weather. But I still love it because it's pretty much been raining non stop since I got here.

Here's my verse for this week: Alma 32 21

"And now as I said concerning faith--faith is not to have a perfect knowledge of things; therefore if ye have faith ye hope for things which are not seed, which are true." 

I can't believe that Christmas is just around the corner. i just love the Christmas season, and especially being a missionary.

Love you all!

Elder Scott 

Me and THE Elder West

Irrigon, OR

Well I've arrived to my new area! And it's super great so far! I love it already!

So... I'm here in the Boardman Ward. And we have a pretty huge area. We live in a place called Irrigon. Seriously, it's called Irrigon, Oregon. I thought that was pretty funny. It's pretty nice doing English and Spanish. Not just Spanish and not just English. But it makes it pretty fun doing both. We meet at the Boardman Englsih Ward, but there are a few members who don't speak any English. So we have to translate the meeting for them using the headsets. I did that for the very first time yesterday. I've never translated before in my life. And it was pretty dang hard, it sure takes a lot of brain power. Especially with it being testimony meeting yesterday. Everyone was telling all of these crazy stories and saying all these words I don't know! But it was still pretty great and I enjoyed doing it a lot.

My companions name is Elder West. He's from Snowflake, Arizona. He's really great. He just barely got done being trained. He was in the MTC with Elder Freestone! Elder West and I have VERY different personalities haha. He's very outspoken and super bold with people. But even though we're pretty different, we're like best friends. We get a long very well and we've been able to find ways to make our companionship work. 

The ward is really awesome here too. The members are really fired up about missionary work. And we have a great ward mission leader and Bishop is always really great. 

Our main focus right now with our investigators is this guy named Smokey. He's a 19 year-old kid and he's been investigating for a few months now. He's a really deep thinker and so he really likes to think things through before he acts and before he jumps into things. He's SOO awesome though. He's so prepared and he came to church yesterday and he's on date for December 26th! So I'm really excited to continue teaching him. 

Oh! And I forgot to mention this last week. If you haven't already, check out the new Christmas video, "A Savior is Born"!

And here's my scripture for the week! Enos 1:6-8 

"And I, Enos, knew that God could not lie; wherefore, my guilt was swept away. And I said: Lord, how is it done? And he said unto me: Because of thy faith in Christ,whom thou hast never before heard nor seen. And many years pass away before he shall manifest himself in the flesh; wherefore, go to, thy faith hath made thee whole."

Love you all! Have a great week! 

Elder Scott

p.s. If any of you are wondering, just keep sending things to this address...

8202 W Quinault Ave. Suite D

Kennewick, WA 99336 

 Hno William

 

The one and only Emma!

I'm Going to Oregon!

It's been quite the eventful week! It was really good though. Never a dull moment in the mission field.

Well, I'm getting transferred. We're getting doubled out actually. It's pretty crazy and VERY unexpected. This is the third time in a row that I've been doubled out of an area. I'm being sent to Boardman, Oregon in the Hermiston Zone! I'm pretty excited. If there was one place that I could choose to go this would be the place! It's another "Zebra Area". So it will be both English and Spanish. I've heard a lot of great things about the area and I'm really looking forward to it. And Elder Freestone is getting transferred to College Place! My favorite place in the world! So I'm really excited for him too. It was pretty sad yesterday at church though. I've come to love the members here so much and it was pretty heartbreaking to say good-bye to so many. The mission really is so full of bitter-sweets. 

We had a great Thanksgiving. WAY too much food. We had two full dinners practically one after the other. I don't think I had ever been so full in my entire life than I was by the end of that day. Really great though.

We got a new Branch Mission Leader here, Hermano William. Probably one of the biggest bummers about leaving. Because he is just one of my favorite people in the world. He's a convert of only about a year and a half. But has one of the strongest testimonies that I've ever heard. Pretty crazy story with him that happened. Last weekend he got jumped! Outside of a restaurant, these guys stole his phone and wallet and busted up his nose and hurt his foot. And yet even in his condition we still had our correlation meeting. At the meeting he bore testimony to all of us that God gives us trials for a reason. And all he could think about was how sorry he felt for those people who hurt him. And that the experience he had made him want to share the gospel even more to those who need it. He's such an inspiration and an amazing missionary. 

We're doing something pretty cool as a mission. From now until Christmas, we're all reading the four gospels. It's about six pages a day. But I love it! I've been learning a lot and if I keep it up I'll be finished on Christmas day!

Here's my scripture for this week. Romans 8:35,37

"Who shall separate us from the love of Christ? shall tribulation, or distress, or persecution, or famine, or nakedness, or peril, or sword?... Nay, in all these things we are more than conquerors through him that loved us."

Love you all! Have a great week!

Elder Scott

Ready in the time of need

Hello Family!

Once again, lots of ups and downs this week. I feel like I should get used to this stuff by now! But I guess there's some things I guess I'll never get used to on the mission. Just kind of like life!

The Valencia family was able to make it to church yesterday! They're a part member family that we've been meeting with for a while and they have kept telling us that they're always too busy to come to church on Sundays. But then they came! So it was really good to have them there. So we're really going to try to seem them a lot this week so that we can really start teaching them. Their kids are all baptized, but the parents aren't because they're not married! It's kind of a complicated situation. The mom isn't legally divorced from someone in Mexico. And so they can't get legally married here. It's pretty crazy. But they're super great and we're really excited for them.

We went on exchanges twice this week! Once with the Elders in the district and once with the Zone Leaders. Exchanges are great. I always learn so much just from being with another missionary. And our Zone Leaders are so amazing. I've been so blessed on my mission to have such inspired leaders to help me.

I can't believe it's already Thanksgiving this week! I feel like Halloween was just yesterday! And it feels like the 4th of July was just a few weeks ago! 

Boy is it getting COLD. It hasn't gotten Omak cold yet. But it's getting there. Elder Freestone loaded up last Monday with a bunch of winter stuff so he's all good to go!

Well we're getting transfer calls this Saturday! Pretty insane. So we'll find out if we're going or staying. I've been here in the branch for four transfers. That's a pretty long time. But there's also a chance that I could be staying! So I really have no idea what's going to happen.

Something pretty cool just happened today. Before we got here to the library, we had to make a stop at the post office. And as we walked up to the doors, we noticed in the parking lot that there was a woman on the ground and two people trying to help her up. We ran over to see if she needed any help, but by the time we got over there she was on her feet, but she was in tears wincing in pain at her arm that she fell on. We asked her if there was anything we could do. She looked at us and she said, "Can you give me a blessing?" Then we realized that she was a member and that we have had dinner with her before! And we said, "Of course we can!" . So she sat down in her car seat and we gave her a blessing of healing. It made me so grateful that we were there to be able to be there for her in a time of need.

This is my scripture for this week: Alma 26:12

"Yea, I know that I am nothing; as to my strength I am weak; therefore I will not boast of myself, but I will boast of my God, for in his strength I can do all things; yea, behold, many mighty miracles we have wrought in this land, for which we will praise his name forever."

Love you all! Have a great week!

Elder Scott

Us with Presidente Hancock at the activity!

Me and Elder Freestone at the Temple

"I want to be baptized in a river!"

Super great week this week! We were able to teach quite a few lessons and see a lot of our investigators, so it was pretty great!

Last Saturday, we had another activity in the branch for Thanksgiving. And lots of people came! So that was really good. And they asked the missionaries to put on a little 15 minute program so that was a lot of fun too. One of the Hermanas shared the history of Thanksgiving and then the other played a song on the piano. And then we all led everyone in a song, "If you're THANKFUL and you know it". And I got to play the guitar too! So we had a really good time with all of the members and investigators who came. The members here are just so amazing. And I've come to love them so much! 

We were able to find a very prepared investigator this week. Her name is Malissa and she is just incredible. She was investigating the church a few years ago with her mom and younger sister. They were baptized but she wasn't. When we knocked on her door she looked so happy to see us! And now she wants to be baptized along with her family. So now she's on date for December 5th. She wasn't able to make it to church yesterday because she unexpectedly had to go to the hospital to be with her mom. But we have an appointment with her tonight! So we're really excited for it.

Emma is finally progressing! We were seriously, just about to drop her. But then she started actually keeping her commitments. And she has all of a sudden got serious about getting baptized. So now we're working towards the 5th of December for her as well! It was pretty funny. We showed her the painting of Jesus being baptized and she asked, "Jesus was baptized in a river?" And we responded that he was, then she exclaimed, "Well then I want to be baptized in a river!" We told her that if that's what she really wants, then we get arrange that... So we might be baptizing someone in the Colombia River! 

It's been pretty cold these last few days. Well, not SUPER cold, but it's definitely been getting colder. Elder Freestone, being from Arizona, feels like he's going to die. It's pretty funny. But he's keeping warm though!

Here's my ponderizing scripture for this week: 2 Nephi 4:19-21

"And when I desire to rejoice, my heart groaneth because of my sins; nevertheless, I know in whom I have trusted.

My God hath been my support; he hath led me through mine afflictions in the wilderness; and he hath preserved me upon the waters of the great deep.

 He hath filled me with his love..."

To know that even Nephi experienced sorrow and pain because of the mistakes he made really puts things into perspective. But what made him such a great man and prophet is that he put his trust in the Lord. He knew that with the strength of the Lord, he could overcome is trials.

Love you all! Have a great week!

Elder Scott

Saving Your Life

Well we went on our temple trip today! That's why our preparation day is Tuesday and not Monday. So we were able to do an endowment session this morning! Always the best way to start the day.

And what made it even better was that I saw the video that I'd never seen before! Sooooo good. definitely my favorite one. Satan was really good in it and I was able to learn a lot this time around. One part that I really loved was the very last shot when Adam and Eve reunite with Peter, James and John and they begin to teach Adam and Eve the gospel--so cool!    

We had a pretty up and down week with Emma. We were actually able to see and teach her quite a few times but she STILL hasn't come to church. So, that means we'll have to move her date again. Pretty frustrating. We just hope that she can start picking up the pace! Because she's keeping all of her other commitments of reading, praying and living the commandments--except for coming to church! So hopefully we kind know what we can do to help her.

All of the district leaders were invited to MLC this last week. The meeting they have once a month with the mission president and all the zone leaders. Super intimidating. But I learned SO much. It seems like my entire perspective of missionary work has changed for the better. That's something that I love about the mission. Just how much we learn little by little. And we receive more direction and guidance just when we need it.  

Alright my "ponderizing" scripture for this week. Luke 9:24

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

I chose this one this week because Elder Freestone and I listened to a talk last week called "Saving Your Life" by Elder Christofferson. It's an amazing talk that's all centered around this verse. He talks about how in order to truly discover who we really are and find ourselves, we have to give ourselves to the Lord in His service. I love that idea!

Thanks for all that you do! Love you all!

Elder Scott

FORGIVENESS

Nov 2 at 12:54 PM

It was a pretty interesting week. Lots of ups and downs! But overall some really good things happened.  

Probably the biggest bummer was that we weren't able to teach Emma, at all. Usually in weeks past we're able to see her and teach her almost every day! But nope, not this week. Whenever we set an appointment, something would come up in her life! Satan really is working hard on her. But, we do have an appointment with her tonight at 6. So we're just praying that we'll be able to teach her!

Halloween was pretty fun. We just had to come back to our place at 6 and do some weekly planning! Fun fun! This mission really has changed so much since I've come to the field. Because last year they just let us hang out that night! But things are changing and I'm actually really enjoying that. The mission is undergoing a lot of changes but it's all for the better. Because it's all just to help us become more consecrated and more hard working disciples of Christ. 

Elder Freestone and I have been listening to a lot of talks lately when we're driving in the car. Last week we listened to this talk by President Hinckley from the 2005 October Conference. It's called "Forgiveness". And it was one of the most powerful talks that I've ever heard. President Hinckley spoke of the power that can come from forgiving others. And never letting the small things that someone did grieve you or cause you pain. Amazing message! It has really helped me in so many ways that I never thought it could. I know that Heavenly Father is always aware of our needs and He always provides a way for us to receive His direction. 

My ponderizing verse for this week is: John 15:12-13

"This is my commandment, That ye love one another, as I have loved you. Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends."

I hope that you all have a great week! And happy November!

Elder Scott

Elders Grillin' for the ward

New Place

Happy Halloween! Again!

Oct 26 at 12:27 PM

Hello family!

October is coming to an end! Feels like we just had general conference! And now it's almost Halloween. I'm still trying to figure out why the time is moving so quickly.

We had some really great things happen this week. Lots of huge blessings and amazing miracles!

We actually moved to a new place! We moved out of the apartment we were living in and we are now living with some members in one of the wards here. We live with Brother and Sister Kraus they're an older couple and we're living in their basement, which was just redone. When Elder Freestone and I first walked in to see our new place, our jaws dropped. Seriously the nicest living place I've ever seen for missionaries. It looks like the cover of a home decor magazine. Everything is just so perfect and perfectly place. Sister Kraus is super crafty. So she loves it too! I'll send some pictures. And then to top it off, we got a brand new car! A 2016 Toyota Corolla. It's such a huge blessing to have a car now. We really have been blessed so much this week! 

We had some amazing lessons with Emma! We were able to teach her the Gospel of Jesus Christ. And it seemed that that's exactly what she needed because she committed to being baptized on the 14th of November! She's still having her usual struggles but overall she's doing really well.
 

Last Saturday we had a Fall Festival with the branch. We had such a good turn out. Better than any other activity that we've had here. So many people showed up! So that was really cool. And to show our appreciation to all the members here, because they really do so much for us and support us in so many ways, we did all the cooking for the activity! It was a lot of fun.

I still love that quote by President Monson, "The Lord qualifies those whom He calls." I was able to see that in action this week. So we were out seeing a less-active family with their home teacher last Thursday and at the end of the lesson, the husband asked for a blessing. Confession, before that moment, I had never given a blessing in Spanish. I was expecting to just do the anointing, but the brother asked me to give the blessing! It was in that moment that the Lord qualified me. And because of the strength He gave me, I was able to give that man a blessing. I was pretty relieved when it was over. But then the sister asked for one! So I got a double dose! So it was really cool experience for me. 

My faith has growth a lot this week. I've really come to realize how important it is to continually striving to strengthen our faith. Because when it comes to have faith in Christ and our testimony of this gospel, it's either growing or decaying.  

So that's why I chose this for my ponderizing scripture for this week: Heleman 5:12

"And now, my sons, remember, remember that it is upon the rock of our Redeemer, who is Christ, the Son of God, that ye must build your foundation; that when the devil shall send forth his mighty winds, yea, his shafts in the whirlwind, yea, when all his hail and his mighty storm shall beat upon you, it shall have no power over you to drag you down to the gulf of misery and endless wo, because of the rock upon which ye are built, which is a sure foundation, a foundation whereon if men build they cannot fall."

I love you all so much! Thanks for all that you do for this great work!

Have a great day!

Elder Scott

Bikes!

Today at 1:39 PM

Well we got transfer calls last Saturday (sorry, totally forgot to mention that last week), and Elder Freestone and I are staying! Pretty much expected. It's pretty crazy what's happening to our zone though. Our Zone Leader, Elder Richins, one of the greatest missionaries I know, has been assigned to be the new assistant to the President. And It seems like EVERYONE is getting transferred in our zone, even the companionships who just started training! But not Elder Freestone and I. So we're both pretty excited for this next upcoming transfer. This next transfer goes to December 2nd. And it's going to come before we know it. 

Time is going by way too fast for me. It's kind of a sad thing when I think about it too much. I have really come to enjoy my time here. And despite opposition, I've been able to learn what I need to do to overcome it through Christ. And that has really made the mission worth while.

Emma was, once again, unable to come to church this week. She gave us a very solid yes Saturday night that she would be coming to church the next day. We even made a plan for her to follow us in her car. We stopped by Sunday morning and she told us that her daughter who's pregnant is going into labor and she needed to be at the hospital. It seems like every week she has something else in her way preventing her from coming to church! She was feeling really bad about it though. Other than that, she's doing really well. Still reading. Still loving what she's learning. Still wants to be baptized!

I was able to work in my old area again this week! I was able to go on exchanges with the other Elders in the district. So that was super great to be able to see some familiar faces and sleep in my old room:)

Elder Freestone and I were able to ride bikes for the very first time on our missions this past week. It was the Hermanas turn for the car last Monday and the Elders we live with didn't need their bikes that night so we just hopped on to our appointment! It was awesome. I forgot how fun it was to ride a bike. But then it was it wasn't as fun when I realized how weak my legs are. So now I've truly experienced the missionary life.

So this is my "ponderizing" scripture for this week: Moroni 7:48

"Wherefore, my beloved brethren, pray unto the Father with all the energy of heart, that ye may be filled with this love, which he hath bestowed upon all who are true followers of his Son, Jesus Christ; that ye may become the sons of God; that when he shall appear we shall be like him, for we shall see him as he is; that we may have this hope; that we may be purified even as he is pure. Amen."

I love this verse so much. Becoming more Christlike should be at the center of everything we aspire for. Over these last few months, that's really what I've been focusing on, is becoming more Christlike and more charitable and loving with everyone.

I love you all so much! And I'm so grateful for all that you do! Have a great week!

Elder Scott

God is our loving Heavenly Father

We had a great week full of miracles and amazing lessons with our investigators! It feels like we just barely had preparation day! And here it is again. Time is just moving way too fast for me to keep up.

We were able to find this amazing new investigator who is now on date for Nov 7th! She seems super great and very humble. Her name is Patricia, and we meet her at the beginning of last week when we were out tracting. Just before we met her we said, "okay, let's knock one more door." And then we found this amazing investigator! We came back last Friday with a member and now she's on date! So we're really exciting for her and all of the other new people that we have found this week.

Emma, our most solid investigator right now, told us that she has to go to Mexico for a little bit. I guess she has to get her visa renewed or something. She could be gone for a whole month--maybe two! So that wasn't too fun to hear. She's still doing really great though. She's reading in the Book of Mormon and she really enjoys meeting with us.

Like I mentioned last week we had a zone conference with Elder Daniel L. Johnson of the Seventy. Such an amazing experience hearing from him again. He literally spent the entire time talking about the very first principle of the very first lesson: God Is Our Loving Heavenly Father. Usually when we teach that to people it only takes a minute or two. But after that training from Elder Johnson, I realized that that's one of the most important principles that we teach. People are so confused about who God really is and that he really is our loving Father. It was such a refreshing point of view, and has already made a huge difference in our lessons.

I forgot to mention it last week, but I'm talking up Devin G. Durrant's invitation to "ponderize" a scripture every week! So each week I'll be telling all of you my scripture for this week.

Last week was Moroni 7:33:

"And Christ hath said: If ye will have faith in me ye shall have power to do whatsoever thing is expedient in me."

And now this weeks is Alma 41:10:

"Do not suppose, because it has been spoken concerning restoration, that ye shall be restored from sin to happiness. Behold, I say unto you, wickedness never was happiness."

I can already see the differences in my life from taking more time to ponder and memorize scriptures, even only after two weeks! It helps me to see that how big of a blessing it is to have the word of God with us, to help us, and lead us to where we need to go. I'm so grateful for the scriptures and the Book of Mormon! So I invite all of you to do the same each week!

Love you all!

Elder Scott

Simplify

Well wasn't General Conference just the greatest? It's always the greatest! Being able to hear from modern prophets and hear exactly what we need to hear in our time--what a blessing!

And on top of that, it was a really amazing week! We were able to see a lot of our investigators and have really amazing lessons with them.

One of them being with Emma. We were able to see here multiple times this last week and she is doing really well, could be better, but doing very well. She committed to watch General Conference last weekend but she had unexpected visitors come over and she didn't get the chance to. We had another lesson with her last night and she still has the biggest desire to be baptized. But she still doesn't feel she is ready... It's a pretty tough situation that we're in and we've been praying a lot to know what we can do to help her. What's such a pleasure to see is how strong her faith is. And how strong of a testimony of the gospel she has. It's as if she's already a member! She's super great.

Elder Johnson of the Seventy is coming to the mission this week. Should be a real treat! He was the one who came to our Stake Conference a couple months ago and he was absolutely amazing. So I'm really looking forward to hearing from him.

Back to General Conference. Some of my favorite talks was President Uchtdorf's talk on simplicity. And how we all need to analyze for ourselves and ask, "Is the gospel working for us?" And I really enjoyed Elder Haynie's talk on repentance and the Atonement. Incredible talk about how REAL the Atonement is and how we need to be applying it every single day of our lives. And then how could you not love Elder Bednar's concluding message! It was as if each man he quoted from was able to live on a little bit longer during General Conference. That truly made me so grateful to have modern prophets and apostles on the earth today. These men are so inspired in everything they say. I know that they are called of God and that they are truly under the direction of Jesus Christ.

I love you all so much and I'm so grateful for everything that you do for me!

Have a great day!

Elder Scott