A quote Scottie shared this week

Dear Madre:

Monday:

Thank you for all your updates. I love hearing from y'all! I had a pretty cool P-Day (preparation day) today! After emailing we met up with Elder Murray who managed to hook us up with a pretty sweet activity: a private tour of the Salt Lake City Federal Aviation Association Air Tower and TRACON control center. It would have been right up Padre's alley. It was fascinating and we got to learn all about how they direct traffic and the machinery and monitors and software they use in the dark TRACON room, and then we got to go up in the tower: 23 stories tall, it was an incredible view of the valley. It was soooo cool, I couldn't stop thinking that I wish Padre were there to enjoy that with me haha, he would have loved it. Then we went to this Costco-like store for groceries,(p-day is their day to email,  shop, do laundry and other activities they don’t have time to do the rest of the week) After dinner we made some visits, and then came back. Unfortunately, Elder Coffey is leaving. I'm really bummed because we've become really good friends out there and I'm sad he won't be here in the apartment anymore. He's taught me a lot about both missionary work and cooking, both important things to know out here. He's a good man. I'm pretty tired and I'm ready for transfer day tomorrow....even though I'm not transferring!

Tuesday:
Transfer day! (They do transfers of areas/missionaries every six weeks) But I'm not going anywhere haha :) I'm staying right here in the good ole' Magna, the furthest West part of my mission. Brother Maestas took us to transfers and back, so we got lunch on him at Cafe Rio. Sweet pork barbacoa burrito served enchilada style, so delicious! Next we came back and helped Elder Jacques (Van Horn's new companion) move his stuff into the apartment. We then left to go help Hermano Mejia with some service in his house. He needed some branches cut down in his back yard, but we had to climb on a stone fence to do it. We also got to use a machete so that was sweet, Hermano Mejia served part of his mission in the jungle in Bolivia and was no stranger to machetes. Then we ate tilapia with the Mejia's and then we went out with Brother Zapata to visit some people. The highlight of the night was going to see Ernesto y Melissa (a couple he has been working with for a while who recently moved) in their new house, it's looking great! Ernesto also told us a ton of hilarious stories from his childhood, he was a wild child! But he's trying to be a good dad now and doing really well. I'm ready for bed! I've been really tired today, think I'm still getting used to this changing weather!

Wednesday:
Today was a really solid day. I got up and did a really solid ab workout followed by cooking myself a breakfast scramble: 4 egg whites and spinach and onions and tomatoes. I had a really good personal study on Alma 5-7 (from the Book of Mormon) and then we had a companionship study about bettering ourselves as missionaries. For lunch I cooked paprika-lime chicken and mixed it with quinoa and salsa, pretty delicious. We went and did some online work and then had an awesome dinner with the Butcher family (English (speaking) members). They're hilarious and always have funny stories and make us feel like we're just eating dinner with family and friends, which is always appreciated. It was really cold today! I actually pulled out the old coat that Elder Richardson (his former companion) left for me, it's pretty nice and kept me warm as we walked around. Now that the weather is cooling down (40s and 50s today) and the ice and snow are about to come, we're about to be done with bikes for a while! We visited with Jesús tonight and stopped by the Sandoval family, and then we got back here and did some nightly planning. I got a letter out to y'all, hope it gets there soon! Love y'all!

Snow on the mountains!

 

Thursday:
Another chilly day in the Valley! I started off with a really good workout program, protein shake, and then some really good personal and companion study. I ran across the following thoughts in a study guide manual and thought they were particularly powerful:



Elder Dallin H. Oaks of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles described the “lively hope” that comes to individuals who possess faith and trust in this sacred truth and the impact it can have on day to day living:

“The ‘lively hope’ we are given by the resurrection is our conviction that death is not the conclusion of our identity but merely a necessary step in the destined transition from mortality to immortality. This hope changes the whole perspective of mortal life. …

“The assurance of resurrection gives us the strength and perspective to endure the mortal challenges faced by each of us and by those we love, such things as the physical, mental, or emotional deficiencies we bring with us at birth or acquire during mortal life. Because of the resurrection, we know that these mortal deficiencies are only temporary!

“The assurance of resurrection also gives us a powerful incentive to keep the commandments of God during our mortal lives. …

“… Moreover, unless our mortal sins have been cleansed and blotted out by repentance and forgiveness (see Alma 5:21; 2 Nephi 9:45–46; D&C 58:42), we will be resurrected with a ‘bright recollection’ (Alma 11:43) and a ‘perfect knowledge of all our guilt, and our uncleanness’ (2 Nephi 9:14; see also Alma 5:18). The seriousness of that reality is emphasized by the many scriptures suggesting that the resurrection is followed immediately by the Final Judgment (see 2 Nephi 9:15, 22; Mosiah 26:25; Alma 11:43–44; 42:23; Mormon 7:6; 9:13–14). Truly, ‘this life is the time for men to prepare to meet God’ (Alma 34:32). …

“Our sure knowledge of a resurrection to immortality also gives us the courage to face our own death--even a death that we might call premature. …

“The assurance of immortality also helps us bear the mortal separations involved in the death of our loved ones. … We should all praise God for the assured resurrection that makes our mortal separations temporary and gives us the hope and strength to carry on” (in Conference Report, Apr. 2000, 17–18; or Ensign, May 2000, 15–16).

 I made more chicken and quinoa for lunch and then we went to weekly planning. As soon as we got to the building, Fatima Jacobson called us and asked if we could help her with some service. We ran to her house, helped her move heavy furniture out of her basement and into a large trash container on the street, carried some of the "junk chairs" back to our apartment because they're nicer than what we have, and then we went back and finished weekly planning. Our new zone leaders are Elders Terry and Bragg, and we have 2 new elders in our district: Elders Curtis and Nielson. They all seem pretty cool. We had dinner with a really nice family that made taco soup and then we met up with Hermano Paredes and did some visits. Not too much success finding people home, and it was about 45 degrees and raining. Hermano Juarez called us and asked us to come help him move this giant shed he's building, we had like 9 guys and we moved it across his yard. Definitely fun service today. I'm pretty tired now, and I'm ready to crawl into bed and pass out. ¡Hasta mañana!
 

Friday:
Today was a super busy day! We got up and rode our bikes to district meeting.....in freezing rain, not our best idea. By the time we got there we were in suits and soaked! The district meeting was about finding ideas and it was pretty powerful, Elder Burgin did a really good job and I think we're going to have a really good transfer together. We then went out to lunch as a district at El Habenero (got a ride there haha) and then Elder Burgin and I went to the stake center to work on some “finding idea” reports. He had some big activities planned that he typed up in English and then I spent some time typing them up in Spanish so the members of our branch could use them too! Hermano Carrasco came out with us tonight and we taught 5 lessons! It was super productive and we're really trying to work harder and do everything we can to advance the work here! When I got back home I checked the mail and to my surprise I got the awesome package y'all sent me! (We sent a box to celebrate the fact that he has now been serving 100 days) Thank you so much, I can't believe I've already been out 100 days and your package with all the little 100s of Oreos and Hershey kisses  and mints and q-tips was super sweet. I'm really appreciative of all of the support y'all give me, it makes it a lot easier to come out and work hard! I love you guys! We had another Fuego Friday night cookout/talk session and then I came in, polished my shoes! ¡Hasta pronto!

  

Spanish Branch Members visiting  the Temple 

Scottie and Elder Burgin at the Jordan River Temple

Scottie and Elder Burgin

Saturday:

Today was an amazing day! We got up at 6 (even earlier than usual) because Hermano Carrasco was picking us up to go to the temple! We accompanied him and several other members of the branch that were going through for the first time: Gloria Saavedra, Gerardo y Clementina Lizarraga, y Tomás Carrasco. Something cool is that we went to the Jordan River temple, did the 10 o clock session, and it was completely in Spanish! Best part? Hermano Carrasco asked me to be his escort! (Church members going through the Temple for the first time choose someone with past Temple experience to assist them and help answer questions).  I got to be his escort and help him out and it was such a powerful experience! It was a true blessing to be there, and then we took Hermano Carrasco out to a Chinese buffet to celebrate haha. I got some beautiful pictures, the mountains look pretty cool because the top halves are all covered in snow already! I bet they're gonna look amazing when a full snow blows through! We went back and I worked on translating some “finding idea” materials, we ate delicious egg rolls with Mai and Johnny (Johnny is El Salvedoreño but Mai Mong-Chinese mix). Super delicious! We went and worked on some progress reports and other things, taught a lesson to Jason y Angelica and then we went back to the apartment. I'm exhausted and ready to pass out, but it has been a truly amazing day. Day 101 is all wrapped up!

Sunday:
Wow! Today was such a busy day, and I felt like a translator all day haha. We got up and went to branch correlation (meeting for missionary work in the local congregation) and then church (I translated for Sacrament and class) and then we had a branch council (planning meeting for the congregation leadership), meeting from 12:30 to almost 2. I translated that for one of the service missionaries in our area that speaks no Spanish. Elder Burgin and I worked on some other things until we had a branch missionary meeting at 3, and that lasted about an hour. Pres. Swain asked us to fast today to double the work in the area, and so we were doing that starting last night. It was a powerful fast and I didn't even feel hungry at all. At 4 we were invited to the Lopez household for pozole to celebrate the temple trip yesterday, and that was a welcome meal for sure haha. Soooo delicious. We went from their house over to Taylorsville with Hermano Carrasco to go to the monthly mission president devotional, and I translated that meeting from English to Spanish for Hermano Carrasco (who speaks almost no English). It was a powerful meeting and then we all came home. I'm pretty tired and I'm excited to go get to bed early tonight! Can't wait to email tomorrow!

(I sent the following questions to him in my email: I was wondering, what is something about your mission that has surprised you. Is it what you were expecting? What has been the hardest part so far? What's been the easiest part so far?)

(His response:)

Something that has surprised me.....hmm, well it's not really what I expected. I thought it would be extremely hard and tedious at times, but all in all it's an enjoyable experience. I never thought I'd get so close to the people of the branch (the congregation he is assigned to) here within 3 months, but I have really connected with them. One of the hardest parts is seeing the struggles that some people have in their lives and wanting so badly to take it away. The easiest part? Eating hahaha. I have learned how to cook healthy in the apartment and gorge myself at members' homes. It's an art really. I enjoy the work, I love studying the scriptures and the language, I really enjoy translating and I love Hispanic culture in general. I love the people, I love the Lord, and I'm loving this opportunity to be here!

 Love you so much!

Until next week!

Love, 

Scottie