This is our update from Scottie this week. His P-Day (preparation day) was delayed until Wednesday due to meetings they were having early in the week. Wednesday also happened to be Pioneer Day, which is a major celebration in Utah commemorating the arrival of the Pioneers in the Utah Valley. Because of the activities he only had a short time to access the computer this week. We also received a letter and photo from his mission president.

Scottie with the Mission President and his wife

Here is my daily routine:

Daily Routine: 

6:30- Wakeup and exercise

7-8: shower and eat breakfast

8-9: personal scripture study

9-11: companionship study

11-12: lunch

12-1: language study

1-5: meetings or appointments or visits

5-6: dinner

6-9: meetings or appointments or visits

9:10:30: planning for tomorrow

10:30-get ready for bed

It's pretty similar every day, sometimes things are different; today was very different because of the Pioneer Day celebrations.

I have been translating at church, that's a bit hard to get the hang of but I'm really trying to get better at it because it improves my Spanish so much. 

Today was a lot of fun. We saw the Pioneer Day parade today; President Uchtdorf (second councilor in the church presidency) was in it! I got a ton of cool pictures. We also hiked to Ensign's Peak (where Brigham Young said "This IS The Place") and we saw the church history museum. I got a ton of awesome pictures but I don't have time to send them tonight. I love you so much, please know that. 

Please find and post these 2 scriptures to my blog. They both help us in times of trial and tribulation and have helped give me strength.  Ether 12:27 (And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.) and John 16:33 (These things I have spoken unto you, that in me ye might have peace. In the world ye shall have tribulation: but be of good cheer; I have overcome the world). 

I love you, and I'll make sure I have more time next week so I can send a more comprehensive email. I love all of you with all my heart, can't wait to hear from you next week. You're always in my prayers. 

Scottie

First hair cut!

It is pretty hot out there!

Scottie's email home this week!

I hope you know that I love you all so much and appreciate your packages, emails, and my frisbee. That was an awesome package to get for sure, we'll be using it later today. 

This week was crazy busy, full of a ton of spiritual experiences but also plenty of other shenanigans. For sure haha.

There's a guy here named Carlos, he's 28 and works construction and goes out with us a lot. He's the coolest guy ever, he's a really good missionary and teacher still and he is so knowledgeable about construction. Elder Richardson and I practice our Spanish by having him explain how to build walls and pour concrete and all sorts of tiling and stuff like that. He's so cool. 

I'm glad Padre spent all that time explaining all of the grid system in Utah to me (how the roads are named), because I use it like crazy when we're walking around and visiting families. I know our area really well now, Elder Richardson is a great teacher and puts me in charge of almost everything so I have to learn to do it myself. Sometimes it's hard understanding Spanish people through the phone, because a thick accent + phone distortion is tough sometimes. But I love it, I've learned so much Spanish. 

We did more service this last Saturday, we put in insulation and sheet rock in a house that had burned down. 

We're staying super busy, its way hot (110 degrees in the days, it was 104 when we were walking home 2 nights ago) and so it keeps us good and fried out here. But I'm really starting to get to know some people here, makes the work easier. 

Here are some pics of the mountains where we serve, the first haircut of my mission (this morning, a really nice lady did it for free because we're missionaries haha, and all the random language Books of Mormons we found in the closet in our apartment. 

Love you all,

Scottie

Mountains in his Mission area

Look at all the languages!

Scotties email for this week. He is mostly responding to a lot of questions I send him in my email!

So I'll try to respond to as much as I can haha, if I miss a pertinent question, just let me know :)

So I can't tell you how much I appreciate your emails. And the package! Thanks so much, it was awesome to get that stuff.

My fast went well  (in our church the first Sunday of the month is set aside to fast and pray and contribute the money for the missed meals to a fund to help with those in need), I prayed hard and really felt the spirit.

I also got to bless the sacrament, bear my testimony, and teach sunday school all in Spanish yesterday, so that was pretty awesome. The Spanish Branch isn't huge in Magna, so we're called on for a lot. Next week I get to translate!! I'm excited. I will translate from Spanish on the pulpit to english for the few gringos in the crowd haha.

The pool and fireworks look awesome too! (I emailed him a few photos of our 4th of July celebration at his grandparent’s house)

I bought some sausage and english muffins today so I can make the good stuff tomorrow :) Thanks for the Old English Cheese :) (I sent him the cheese and the recipe for one of his favorite breakfast dishes)

Oh man, as a missionary I can't tell you how much they appreciate you feeding them. I thank you, for them. (this was his response to me telling him that we were feeding four of our local missionaries dinner)

Fun story: this past Saturday some of the guys from the Spanish ward of the church out here and my companion and I went to an older ladies house for a service project. We tore down an old fence, and built two more around her house (2 sections). This is what church service projects are like at home: lots of planning, safety goggles and gloves, everyone kinda teeters about for a while before it gets going, a few people do most of the planning and work.

What service is like when you are working with 6 dudes who all work construction professionally: no safety equipment, no gloves, everyone yelling and joking in Spanish, they tore the old fence down in approximately 23 seconds with shovels, crowbars, pickaxes, and old boards (whatever they could find). They were holding 2x4's in the air with one hand and using circular saws to make precise, perfect cuts with the other one. They were pulling nails and screws out of their pockets that seemed to just appear. They had perfect hammer swings, never saw anyone miss. They mixed concrete like magicians, measured things by eye sight perfectly, and it was literally the coolest thing i've ever seen. I kinda wanted to just join a construction crew for a day or two. The new fence looks gorgeous too, these guys know what they're doing!

So i was in casual clothes, no worries (which is good, kinda got cement on my jeans , I was looking authentic). (he is referring to how he was dressed for the service project)

Hermano Mejia took some pictures, maybe he'll send them to me somehow.

Exercise: I'm doing abridged p90x (which was officially banned in our mission 2 months back because some elders were going too hard haha).

The bed isn't super comfortable, but I don't want you sending anything just yet, maybe I can figure something else out.

I'll get a bike next week, until then we walk and get rides from members.

I mostly do cereal and eggs and toast for breakfast, we get all of our dinners (from area church members who sign up to feed them), sandwiches and mac and cheese for lunch, and tomorrow I'm making the good stuff. (the recipe I sent!)

I think, if I understand correctly, that I'll be in this apartment for the next 11 weeks or so (12 weeks of training total so I think that's how it works).

I go to ward and missionary correlation (planning meetings for the congregation and overall missionary planning for the local area), everything in Spanish.

Please pray for Eva, and also for Matan (mah-tahn) y Oram (horam without the h) that they can feel the spirit and know that our message is true.

Love,

Scottie

Scottie and his companion (Elder Richardson) studying

Scottie entering his new apartment for the 1st time!

Scottie was able to email us on the Fourth of July, such an unexpected treat! It was extra special because it was his Father's birthday. He started off by sending a picture of his "Zone" at the MTC all together that he had received by email. Here is what he had to say:

Hola!!!

Hey :) I hope you're doing well. So I'm so crazy overwhelmed with how busy the past 3 days have been. Here are some highlights. 

My new companion is named Elder Richardson. He's from Ontario, he's district leader, and he's been here for a while....23 MONTHS! So I'm the last companion he'll ever have, that's kinda cool since he's my first (in the mission field). I hear the only reason they put almost-gone missionaries with a new kid like me is to prepare me for a leadership calling, so that could be interesting in the future. 

Our apartment is pretty good, it's actually a lot nicer than a lot of the other areas around us. We do go all the way out to Kinnecot like when we drove, I'm in the Magna Stake for this transfer. 

We have P-Day today because it's the fourth of July so that's fun, I went shopping, got some food and laundry stuff. We get 100 dollars a month for all of our food, haircuts, supply needs, so I was buying the cheapest brands haha. I'm gonna miss Tropicana and Ben and Jerry's. 

We've stayed really busy and I'm picking up on the Spanish well, I can't believe how fast time is flying though. Staying this busy, you definitely barely have time to think.

I will be on a bike, my regular P-Day will be Mondays (today was weird because of 4th of July activities). 

We saw a parade this morning and we'll probably go to a Member's party tonight and get food and such, which would be fun!

The building right next to our apartments is English wards (congregations), we go to a building down the road that's got the Spanish branch (a smaller congregation). 

On Sundays, my companion and I serve as translators in that branch! How cool is that? 

Love, 

Scottie

P.S. Happy 4th of July!

Week 2 update!

Scottie and the other "Super Heroes" from his district!

Scottie has been at the MTC (Missionary Training Center in Provo, Utah) for the past 13 days. While there he was preparing to serve his mission. His days there were filled with at least six hours of classes a day including gospel topics and Spanish language lessons and study and prayer time. We dropped him off on June 19^th and yesterday, July 2^nd, he left the MTC to report to the area where he will serve the rest of his mission. He will serve in the Utah Salt Lake City West Mission and will teach in the Spanish Language.  We heard from his mission office last night that he arrived safely and is currently in Magna, Utah.

This is his last email from the MTC:

Ahh I've been looking forward to hearing from you so much. I miss you dearly, but I'm doing well here. Happy Anniversary. (our anniversary was June 29^th) Also, I'll send a letter home for Padre's birthday, I won't forget. (Scott’s birthday is July 4^th!)

Saturdays aren't different than weekdays, we still have 6 hours of class and study time and things. Sunday was crazy yesterday. As District and Zone leader I had about seven thousand meetings to attend with the branch presidency, and I was in charge of planning Sacrament and Priesthood and all that (all in Spanish, which was cool). I got to help with the blessing of the Santa Cena (the Sacrament) in Spanish, and my Spanish has improved so much since I've gotten here. We have priesthood and sacrament separated by a few hours though, with meetings and devotionals in between/throughout the rest of the day. 

One of my best friends, Elder Herrera, was the first of our district to leave. He left last night, heading to La Republica Dominicana. I get email today because of my transfer, so you know haha, I'm not breaking rules. 

Thank you for the blog, I appreciate it and so do my friends. I heard from Aunt Tammy, which was great! I'm going to be attempting to send some pictures in a few minutes, hopefully that'll give you some fuel for the blog.

I leave 7:30AM tomorrow, which is super exciting, I guess I should start packing haha. 

If you get a chance and want to cry (because it made me cry), you should YouTube BYU Budge Boys Called To Serve. It's this super cool video that one of the Elders in my zone (Elder Jenner Brown, who is from Miami and is a big Heat Fan :) ) made about all the guys in his residence hall at BYU opening their calls mixed with some general conference talks. Oh man, It is such a powerful video.http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r1jxhpU8Sa8

Also, try to youtoube Advice from Elder Busche (I think that was the name). His first name is something like Enirio. He is a 70's member who gave that talk at a devotional, and it's literally like 5 minutes of the most inspirational missionary quotes I've ever heard. I'd love if you could put some of those on my blog, maybe a link to the videos. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=snAjZ8mfoYw

Elder Budding (Scottie’s companion in the MTC) heads to Fresno California on Wednesday. Do you wanna know who his mission president is?? Larry Gelwix. Does that sound familiar? He's the head coach of the Highland Rugby team, the one in Forever Strong that went like 344-2 while he was there.

Guess who lives on the same floor as me here though?? GINO!! (Gino Hartman and Scottie went to High School together) He's great, we got a picture I'm going to send you, and he leaves for Brazil on July 8^th.

Tell everyone I love them and will send much more coherent conversation next week. 

Scottie

Everyone taking pictures!

Elders Budding, Higgins and 2 Sister Missionaries in their district

Scottie's bookshelf

Scottie and Gino

The playing field at the MTC