WE HAD a BAPTISM TODAY!!! It was so exciting! Maria, 77 years old was baptized today and she is great and so excited! I was so happy to see the members really stepping in to help her--members are so incredibly important in this work.
Things are really good, I am learning a ton, understanding more and more each day, and it is getting pretty hot here! But, I love the sun and the heat...after sitting in the CTM for 9 weeks and not seeing any of it, it is quite nice.
Sister Cruz, my companion, was seriously sent from heaven. She has been so patient with me and is teaching me a ton. She and I are actually able to have some pretty good conversations together which is good. I just get frustrated when I can´t say some thing how I would normally say it or when I don´t know how. Sometimes, I feel like I am not able to express my personality and I am going to lose it...hahaha but, I know the language will come. (Please pray for me!!!!) hahaha
We have had some pretty cool experiences this week teaching lessons. Yesterday, we taught a man who wanted to refute everything we were teaching him about the restoration. (granted, I didn´t understand everything, but , I understood enough). We had a member of the Bishopric with us which made me feel much more comfortable and he bore a powerful testimony. This man´s name is Sidney and he was being really quite rude to us. He then started asking why we thought our church was true. And then, out of know where...our came portuguese I didn´t really plan on speaking. I told him that after Christ died, His apostles were killed and the proper authority to act in his name, perform ordinances, and recieve revelation were taken from the earth. As a result many people were confused and tried to restore truths, but did not have the right authority to receive revelation from God and this led to the formation of many churches. Many of these churches contain parts of the truth, but when Our Heavenly Father and Jesus Christ appeared to Joseph Smith they then called him to be a prophet and the fullness of Christ´s church was restored to the earth in its fullness as it was while christ was on the Earth. After I said this, he got really quite for a minute...and then sister Cruz told him that we are not here to force him to believe anthing, but to invite him to pray for himself to see if the fullness of the truth has been restored to the earth and if the Book of Mormon is true.
Who knows what will happen, but we will see.
K- so funny story: Sister Cruz and I are walking to a member´s house (their son teaches at the CTM) and we are passing a gas station and i completely biffed it infront of three women...it was pretty emabarrassing. Sister Cruz calls me Sandra Bullock from Miss Congeniality...hahahaha The sidewalk and my skirt did not mix. hahahaha
Every meal we eat here is like eating at a restaurant it is sooo good!!!
Anyway, my time is up and I gotta go. I love you all and please feel free to e-mail any time, I don´t recieve my letters very often.
The church is so true!!!!
-Sister Scott
Wednesday, December 2, 2009
My First Week
Óla from Bonfiglioli!!!!
Oh my goodness...I can´t believe that I am really doing this! It is truly incredible.
Tuesday, was my first day actually out in the field. We left the CTM about 8:00 am and rode in a van about 45 minutes to the mission home here in São Paulo (which is actually President Faust´s old home here in brasil).
When we arrived, the office elders gave us a little orientation and then we went to President and Sister Cooley´s apartment for lunch...it was awesome--everything about it. In fact I almost cried, it felt so much like home...and there was carpet! I miss carpet like you wouldn´t believe! hahaha Their home was absolutely beautiful and this was the first time that I had eaten outside the CTM and the food was AMAZING!
After we ate, President Cooley started talking to us and looked us each in the eye (these are all the new missionaries, about 10 of us) and he says, ´´ I can tell that there is a powerful spirit about all of you, and I know that in about 10 months, this mission is going to turn around because of you.´´ What that means exactly, I am not sure...but he was very tearful when he said it and the spirit was really strong. I don´t know if we have some slacker missionaries, or if they aren´t trying very hard...I don´t know. I all do know is I know why I am out here, and I only have a short time to do it...and I am going to to my very best! These people are depending on it! After President said that, His wife turned to him and said, ´´well that was nice honey, unplanned, but very nice.´´ (I just love sister cooley!)
After lunch, we packed up our stuff and rearranged it...we can only take one bag with us and leave the other one at the mission home because for some of our transefers, we have to take the bus...and Holy cow!
Later that night, we went tracting (teaching and contacting people)and I had the opportunity of riding a public bus for the very first time...and in Brazil the busses are nothing like they are in the states...maybe back east, but not in UT! People are packed in there like sardines and most of the time you just have to stand and they have rails for you to hold onto...imagine riding one of those on the winding, crazy roads of São Paulo!! I´m already a clutz...add the bus and roads...and we kind of have an interesting situation!
That night, the Elders who live close to the mission home stayed at the mission home and let us stay at their apartment...I have never been so grossed out in my life...everything about the place was sooo gross. I didn´t even know if the pillow case I was sleeping on was clean...Mom, you would die. But, they did order us pizza and a chocolate pizza...my favorite!
The next morning we had our transfer meeting and had to say good-bye to Sister Winters and leave with my new companion, Sister Cruz...she is adorable!!! She is Brazilian and doesn´t speak but 5 words of english...
We gathered my stuff and headed to our apartment...it´s the cutest little thing, one bedroom, a small kitchen (NO MICROWAVE), and a bathroom. Ok, let me tell you a little about the bathroom situation...There are no walls, barriers, or curtain for the shower and it is in the same part of the bathroom as the toilet and sink. So, when we take our FREEZING cold showers, the water gets all over everything, and then we have to squeegy the bathroom down.
The owner of our apartment lives right by us...and when you say ´´right by´´here in Brasil...I literally mean attatched...haha. Luckily she has a washing machine-nothing like we have at home- that she lets us use...although we still will have to wash some clothes by hand. There is something so satisfying about hanging clothes on a line to dry...and I am being dead serious.
She also has about 3 dogs that I know of...who are as gentle as can be and they always greet us and I am actually quite grateful to have them. It´s nice when at the end of the day you are dead beat and you see them so excited to see you.
The members are absolutely wonderful to us!!! Everyday, we have lunch, the biggest meal here, with members. And, sometimes, they even send us home with left overs. I have not had one thing yet that I haven´t loved! I have seriously got to learn how to cook like a Brasileira!!!
The work is good, we have a baptism set for next Saturday. Maria, a 77 year old woman who is just adorable. She lives in a one bedroom apartment with all her stuff...to be honest I don´t know where she even sleeps, and she shares a bathroom with her neighbors. She can´t afford much so she eats bread for every meal because you can buy it fairly cheap here. She can´t even afford milk. She is so excited about getting baptized...and I cannot wait to be there to see it! I can´t really take any credit for her wanting to get baptized because she was already planning on it before I got to the area. We have 2 more planned for the following Saturday too.
My legs, shins, hips, bum, and feet are sooo sore! I think I have walked more this week, than I have in my entire life! I have really good shoes..it´s just that my feet are getting calices and it is kind of a painful process. The sidewalks, if you can call them sidewalks, are so unpredictable...if you are not careful you could fall, trip, stub a toe, or shin...they are sooo uneven.
I am incredibly amazed at how these people live...most people have so little...and there is a lot of work that needs to be done as far as helping people change their lives and come unto Christ...a lot of these people live such sad, and sinful lives and a lot of them don´t even know any better. They don´t know or understand what it truly means to be happy..so they look for it in other ways.
I am so grateful for this opportunity to help these people do just that. I cannot wait to see miracles in their lives. I am even more grateful for the opportunity I have to grow closer to my Savior, Jesus Christ, and do His work. I have been doing a lot of thinking about that lately living the ´´primitive´´ life I have been living the last week, and I have realized that just for these short 16 months, I have the opportunity to live life as he did.
I love you all!!!
this church is true!!!
love,
Sister Scott
Oh my goodness...I can´t believe that I am really doing this! It is truly incredible.
Tuesday, was my first day actually out in the field. We left the CTM about 8:00 am and rode in a van about 45 minutes to the mission home here in São Paulo (which is actually President Faust´s old home here in brasil).
When we arrived, the office elders gave us a little orientation and then we went to President and Sister Cooley´s apartment for lunch...it was awesome--everything about it. In fact I almost cried, it felt so much like home...and there was carpet! I miss carpet like you wouldn´t believe! hahaha Their home was absolutely beautiful and this was the first time that I had eaten outside the CTM and the food was AMAZING!
After we ate, President Cooley started talking to us and looked us each in the eye (these are all the new missionaries, about 10 of us) and he says, ´´ I can tell that there is a powerful spirit about all of you, and I know that in about 10 months, this mission is going to turn around because of you.´´ What that means exactly, I am not sure...but he was very tearful when he said it and the spirit was really strong. I don´t know if we have some slacker missionaries, or if they aren´t trying very hard...I don´t know. I all do know is I know why I am out here, and I only have a short time to do it...and I am going to to my very best! These people are depending on it! After President said that, His wife turned to him and said, ´´well that was nice honey, unplanned, but very nice.´´ (I just love sister cooley!)
After lunch, we packed up our stuff and rearranged it...we can only take one bag with us and leave the other one at the mission home because for some of our transefers, we have to take the bus...and Holy cow!
Later that night, we went tracting (teaching and contacting people)and I had the opportunity of riding a public bus for the very first time...and in Brazil the busses are nothing like they are in the states...maybe back east, but not in UT! People are packed in there like sardines and most of the time you just have to stand and they have rails for you to hold onto...imagine riding one of those on the winding, crazy roads of São Paulo!! I´m already a clutz...add the bus and roads...and we kind of have an interesting situation!
That night, the Elders who live close to the mission home stayed at the mission home and let us stay at their apartment...I have never been so grossed out in my life...everything about the place was sooo gross. I didn´t even know if the pillow case I was sleeping on was clean...Mom, you would die. But, they did order us pizza and a chocolate pizza...my favorite!
The next morning we had our transfer meeting and had to say good-bye to Sister Winters and leave with my new companion, Sister Cruz...she is adorable!!! She is Brazilian and doesn´t speak but 5 words of english...
We gathered my stuff and headed to our apartment...it´s the cutest little thing, one bedroom, a small kitchen (NO MICROWAVE), and a bathroom. Ok, let me tell you a little about the bathroom situation...There are no walls, barriers, or curtain for the shower and it is in the same part of the bathroom as the toilet and sink. So, when we take our FREEZING cold showers, the water gets all over everything, and then we have to squeegy the bathroom down.
The owner of our apartment lives right by us...and when you say ´´right by´´here in Brasil...I literally mean attatched...haha. Luckily she has a washing machine-nothing like we have at home- that she lets us use...although we still will have to wash some clothes by hand. There is something so satisfying about hanging clothes on a line to dry...and I am being dead serious.
She also has about 3 dogs that I know of...who are as gentle as can be and they always greet us and I am actually quite grateful to have them. It´s nice when at the end of the day you are dead beat and you see them so excited to see you.
The members are absolutely wonderful to us!!! Everyday, we have lunch, the biggest meal here, with members. And, sometimes, they even send us home with left overs. I have not had one thing yet that I haven´t loved! I have seriously got to learn how to cook like a Brasileira!!!
The work is good, we have a baptism set for next Saturday. Maria, a 77 year old woman who is just adorable. She lives in a one bedroom apartment with all her stuff...to be honest I don´t know where she even sleeps, and she shares a bathroom with her neighbors. She can´t afford much so she eats bread for every meal because you can buy it fairly cheap here. She can´t even afford milk. She is so excited about getting baptized...and I cannot wait to be there to see it! I can´t really take any credit for her wanting to get baptized because she was already planning on it before I got to the area. We have 2 more planned for the following Saturday too.
My legs, shins, hips, bum, and feet are sooo sore! I think I have walked more this week, than I have in my entire life! I have really good shoes..it´s just that my feet are getting calices and it is kind of a painful process. The sidewalks, if you can call them sidewalks, are so unpredictable...if you are not careful you could fall, trip, stub a toe, or shin...they are sooo uneven.
I am incredibly amazed at how these people live...most people have so little...and there is a lot of work that needs to be done as far as helping people change their lives and come unto Christ...a lot of these people live such sad, and sinful lives and a lot of them don´t even know any better. They don´t know or understand what it truly means to be happy..so they look for it in other ways.
I am so grateful for this opportunity to help these people do just that. I cannot wait to see miracles in their lives. I am even more grateful for the opportunity I have to grow closer to my Savior, Jesus Christ, and do His work. I have been doing a lot of thinking about that lately living the ´´primitive´´ life I have been living the last week, and I have realized that just for these short 16 months, I have the opportunity to live life as he did.
I love you all!!!
this church is true!!!
love,
Sister Scott
Picture with the Mission President
This is Elder Bramwell, the secretary of Missão São Paulo Norte. We are sending you all a picture of Sister Scott with President and Sister Cooley on her first day here. Thanks for support and sacrifice. Have a great day!
Elder Bramwell
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Below is a picture of me with my companions at the Sao Paulo Temple. Sister Lasley is on the left, then Sister Winters, then this adorable lady we met our first week at the temple, Sister Martin...yes she does have bright red-purple hair and is stinking adorable...and then there is me. Not quite sure what I am doing with my face right here...awkward angle maybe...kind of a Tori Spelling look...don´t ya think? hahahha
We are not allowed to take our cameras to the temple so Sister Martin said she would bring hers and then send us the photos. Every tuesday when we go to the temple she is there and she runs to us every time shouting, `lindas...lindas!` (Pretty, pretty!) hahaha... and then it´s hugs and besitos...everytime. She is great. She lives in my mission so I am sure I will see her a lot--which will be so good.
Things are so good here...I love life!!! Thank you so much for all your prayers and love and support....It means sooo much to me!!!!! This Gospel truly blesses lives!!!!
Take care!
Love ya much!!!
Sister Scott"
We are not allowed to take our cameras to the temple so Sister Martin said she would bring hers and then send us the photos. Every tuesday when we go to the temple she is there and she runs to us every time shouting, `lindas...lindas!` (Pretty, pretty!) hahaha... and then it´s hugs and besitos...everytime. She is great. She lives in my mission so I am sure I will see her a lot--which will be so good.
Things are so good here...I love life!!! Thank you so much for all your prayers and love and support....It means sooo much to me!!!!! This Gospel truly blesses lives!!!!
Take care!
Love ya much!!!
Sister Scott"
Friday, June 26, 2009
Loving the Mission - June 23
óla, Minha Familia!!!!
Ok, so the craziest thing!!! So, remember those men I told you about that approahed us at the Grocery Store last week? Well, we were walking in front of the CTM to go to Mr. Cheney´s cookies to e-mial, and lo and behold...We see our Friends: Laurte, Vitor, and Rodriguez walking toward us!!! We got so excited and they were so excited to see us too. I went to give them a hand shake and they went in for hugs and a kiss on the cheek...wasn´t very successful at getting myself out of that...going to have to work on that.
Anyway, we started talking and they wondered why they hadn´t seen us around and why no one had come to talk to them yet. We explained yet again what we were doing and why. Then Luarte told us not to worry about sending missionaries to their home to teach them because he was only going to be there for a month anyway because he travels for work. Welp...too late! I gave their information to one of the older sisters in relief society on sunday and she was going to take it to MY mission president the next day.
I had been thinking and praying about them all week long...hoping that they would be able to recieve the message. We didn´t have a Book of Mormon to give to them last week and I had been feeling like they needed one all week long, but I never expected to see them again. I have NO doubts that Our Father in Heaven hears and answers our prayers...it was no coincidence that we ran into them right in front of the CTM. Sister Lasley and I were talking to them and we told Sister Winters to run and tell one of the elders to hunt down 3 Books of Mormon. I wrote my breif testimony and marked moroni 10:3-5 in each of the books and gave them to them.
They kept saying, `we have a bible...we have a bible, we don´t need anything else..`` So, we explained to them that the Book of Mormon is another Testament of Jesus Christ and tells of his dealings with the people in the Americas during bible times. It was incredible! Sister Winters and I were talking with Vitor and Sister Lasley was talking with Luarte and it was absolutely incredible.
Vitor was telling us that he had believed in Scientology for awhile and tried to find answers to Life´s questions through science. He is a Christian now, but still wonders why he is here and what his purpose is. So, I started teaching Him the Second lesson about the Plan of Happiness/salvation. We explained to him that we lived with our Father in Heaven before coming to this earth and he presented a plan that would allow us to return to live with Him again and at the center of that plan is Jesus Christ. God loved his children so much that he would allow His only begotten son to come to earth and atone for all of the sin, heartache, and sorrow of the the world. So, that all of us could be happy.
We explained to him that the Book of Mormon would answer all of the questions he has and that it would bring so much happiness into their life if they read it and prayed about it to know if it was true. We talked a little bit about the creation of the world, the necessity of the fall of adam and Eve, and about living eternally with our families after this life if we have done all that we can to do what Jesus Christ has asked us to which includes: having Faith in our loving Heavenly Father, repenting of anything wrong that we may have done, being baptized as Christ was baptized by the proper authority, and then enduring to the end. This really peaked Vitors interest and he wanted to know more.
So, we started teaching him the first lesson about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and about Joseph Smith. The Spirit was soooo strong. I was telling him about Joseph Smith praying to know the truth and our Heavenly father and Jesus appearing to him and answering his prayer. I was reciting Joseph Smith History, when he tells us in his own words what happened and the spirit was sooo strong, I teared up big time and I could see in his eyes that he felt it too.
We challenged him to read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if it is true, and he said that he was going to and he was so excited. Meanwhile, Sister Lasley is tearing it up with Luarte bearing testimony--POWERFUL!
They left so grateful and curious for more. It felt soo good to be able to teach and see even a little fire lit. I promised them that if they read and prayed to know, then they would not be denied an answer and their lives would never be the same. They would find so much happiness in that book.
I LOVE being a MISSIONARY!!!!!! This is incredible! I can´t wait to get out and do this everyday!
I hope everyone is doing well...I love you all and this gospel is so true, I love it with all my heart!
Please keep me in your prayers...especially so that I can speak Portuguese...not all my investigators will speak english :) You are most definitely in mine!
Can I offer a family challenge??? I would like to extend the same challenge I offered Luarte, Vitor, and Rodriguez...Will all of you read the book of mormon and pray about it before I come home? The blessings are the same for everyone.
I know you won´t regret it. Besides, if you want to support me on my mission, this is absolutely the best way to do so because you will be supporting the whole reason why I am out here. I know this will bring our family closer and we all will recieve incredible blessings if we do this. Besides, 3 nephi is AMAZING!!!!
I love you all soooooooo much!!!!
Love,Sister Scott
Ok, so the craziest thing!!! So, remember those men I told you about that approahed us at the Grocery Store last week? Well, we were walking in front of the CTM to go to Mr. Cheney´s cookies to e-mial, and lo and behold...We see our Friends: Laurte, Vitor, and Rodriguez walking toward us!!! We got so excited and they were so excited to see us too. I went to give them a hand shake and they went in for hugs and a kiss on the cheek...wasn´t very successful at getting myself out of that...going to have to work on that.
Anyway, we started talking and they wondered why they hadn´t seen us around and why no one had come to talk to them yet. We explained yet again what we were doing and why. Then Luarte told us not to worry about sending missionaries to their home to teach them because he was only going to be there for a month anyway because he travels for work. Welp...too late! I gave their information to one of the older sisters in relief society on sunday and she was going to take it to MY mission president the next day.
I had been thinking and praying about them all week long...hoping that they would be able to recieve the message. We didn´t have a Book of Mormon to give to them last week and I had been feeling like they needed one all week long, but I never expected to see them again. I have NO doubts that Our Father in Heaven hears and answers our prayers...it was no coincidence that we ran into them right in front of the CTM. Sister Lasley and I were talking to them and we told Sister Winters to run and tell one of the elders to hunt down 3 Books of Mormon. I wrote my breif testimony and marked moroni 10:3-5 in each of the books and gave them to them.
They kept saying, `we have a bible...we have a bible, we don´t need anything else..`` So, we explained to them that the Book of Mormon is another Testament of Jesus Christ and tells of his dealings with the people in the Americas during bible times. It was incredible! Sister Winters and I were talking with Vitor and Sister Lasley was talking with Luarte and it was absolutely incredible.
Vitor was telling us that he had believed in Scientology for awhile and tried to find answers to Life´s questions through science. He is a Christian now, but still wonders why he is here and what his purpose is. So, I started teaching Him the Second lesson about the Plan of Happiness/salvation. We explained to him that we lived with our Father in Heaven before coming to this earth and he presented a plan that would allow us to return to live with Him again and at the center of that plan is Jesus Christ. God loved his children so much that he would allow His only begotten son to come to earth and atone for all of the sin, heartache, and sorrow of the the world. So, that all of us could be happy.
We explained to him that the Book of Mormon would answer all of the questions he has and that it would bring so much happiness into their life if they read it and prayed about it to know if it was true. We talked a little bit about the creation of the world, the necessity of the fall of adam and Eve, and about living eternally with our families after this life if we have done all that we can to do what Jesus Christ has asked us to which includes: having Faith in our loving Heavenly Father, repenting of anything wrong that we may have done, being baptized as Christ was baptized by the proper authority, and then enduring to the end. This really peaked Vitors interest and he wanted to know more.
So, we started teaching him the first lesson about the Restoration of the Gospel of Jesus Christ and about Joseph Smith. The Spirit was soooo strong. I was telling him about Joseph Smith praying to know the truth and our Heavenly father and Jesus appearing to him and answering his prayer. I was reciting Joseph Smith History, when he tells us in his own words what happened and the spirit was sooo strong, I teared up big time and I could see in his eyes that he felt it too.
We challenged him to read the Book of Mormon and pray to know if it is true, and he said that he was going to and he was so excited. Meanwhile, Sister Lasley is tearing it up with Luarte bearing testimony--POWERFUL!
They left so grateful and curious for more. It felt soo good to be able to teach and see even a little fire lit. I promised them that if they read and prayed to know, then they would not be denied an answer and their lives would never be the same. They would find so much happiness in that book.
I LOVE being a MISSIONARY!!!!!! This is incredible! I can´t wait to get out and do this everyday!
I hope everyone is doing well...I love you all and this gospel is so true, I love it with all my heart!
Please keep me in your prayers...especially so that I can speak Portuguese...not all my investigators will speak english :) You are most definitely in mine!
Can I offer a family challenge??? I would like to extend the same challenge I offered Luarte, Vitor, and Rodriguez...Will all of you read the book of mormon and pray about it before I come home? The blessings are the same for everyone.
I know you won´t regret it. Besides, if you want to support me on my mission, this is absolutely the best way to do so because you will be supporting the whole reason why I am out here. I know this will bring our family closer and we all will recieve incredible blessings if we do this. Besides, 3 nephi is AMAZING!!!!
I love you all soooooooo much!!!!
Love,Sister Scott
He Loves us and Answers Our Prayers - June 16
To my wonderful family!!!Oí!!!
First of all, I LOVE it here. I am working hard and struggling with Portuguese, but it will come. What´s more important is that I am learning how to be a better missionary and person and getting so much closer to my Heavenly Father. I had the coolest experience just today...I am so excited to tell you about it and I am so glad it happened today so I don´t have to wait until next week to tell you.
So, for those of you who don´t know, at the CTM here in Brasil, they let us leave the building and go shopping, e-mail, and do what ever we need to on our preparation day. So, my companions and I wrote letters, did laundry, and got some things done before we left. We got some pictures developed, and did some window shopping. We went to the grocery store and while we were walking around, there was a group of four men who started to approach us. One of them walked directly up to me and started to talk to me in broken English. I was trying to use the little bit of Portuguese I knew and he insisted on speaking in English. He spoke very well, I was so grateful because I still don´t know what the heck I am doing just yet.
He introduced himself and his friends and right away asked if we had a ´´ceremony´´ that he could attend. Instantly, my heart started pounding and I got so excited. We started talking and they were sincerely interested in learning more about the gospel and wanted so badly to learn more. They wanted to know more about us as far as where we were from, why we were in Brasil, and what we were doing. It was interesting because my companions would add comments but he was specifically talking to me. I bore a small testimony and told him breifly about the church and that I was so grateful that they stopped us. And that they wouldn´t be sorry. I was so mad at myself for not bringing with me a book of mormon...I will not forget next week.
Come to find out they work for a bank here in Sâo Paulo and the Luarte (the one who approached me) studied Physics. I was amazed that they would seek us out like that. They weren´t just curious, they acted. I know it was not by coincedence. Once I had explained what we were doing and that missionaries like ourselves could teach them more, his face lit up. He got so excited. He said,´´I would love if you could teach me more!´´ I explained to him that we would be in the CTM for about 5 more weeks so, we ourselves wouldn´t be able to teach him, but we could contact other missionaries who could. I got his and another one of his friends addresses and phone numbers so, we can give it to the CTM and they can send missionaries to their homes. They were so excited and they kept thanking us and shaking our hands.
My companions were checking out at the line and I was waiting for them and talking with one of them and Luarte came over and gave me a big chocolate bar and said, ´´Please doñ´t forget about me´´ I was going to refuse it, but I knew that he would get highly offended because he really wanted us to remember him so, that he could have the gospel in his life.
We left the store in awe...it was incredible. This was really neat, but it was even more neat because last night I was just praying to my Heavenly Father because I was kind of feeling like I was missing out on other missions..I know that sounds horrble, but I just needed a reassurance that this is exactly where I need to be. Right here in Sao Paulo. When those men came directly to me today, I knew that this is the place I am supposed to be. What an answer to a prayer!!! I am amazed everyday at how intune our Heavenly Father is with each of our lives. He loves us so much, and I know that I am doing His work. This Gospel is so incredibly true and it brings real happiness. We just have to have faith, trust in Him, and do all that he asks of us and if we do, he will bless us beyond measure! I learned the other day something that I really hadn´t realized before about the law of tithing: If you give 10% back to Him of everything you earn (which is just a small portion of what he has given you) then the ´´Heavens will be opened unto you and you will not have enough room to recieve the blessings that await you.´´ One thing I have learned as a missionary is that obedience equals blessings!!!
I love you all and my time is up.
Love you all!!!
-Sister Scott
Tchaú!!!!
First of all, I LOVE it here. I am working hard and struggling with Portuguese, but it will come. What´s more important is that I am learning how to be a better missionary and person and getting so much closer to my Heavenly Father. I had the coolest experience just today...I am so excited to tell you about it and I am so glad it happened today so I don´t have to wait until next week to tell you.
So, for those of you who don´t know, at the CTM here in Brasil, they let us leave the building and go shopping, e-mail, and do what ever we need to on our preparation day. So, my companions and I wrote letters, did laundry, and got some things done before we left. We got some pictures developed, and did some window shopping. We went to the grocery store and while we were walking around, there was a group of four men who started to approach us. One of them walked directly up to me and started to talk to me in broken English. I was trying to use the little bit of Portuguese I knew and he insisted on speaking in English. He spoke very well, I was so grateful because I still don´t know what the heck I am doing just yet.
He introduced himself and his friends and right away asked if we had a ´´ceremony´´ that he could attend. Instantly, my heart started pounding and I got so excited. We started talking and they were sincerely interested in learning more about the gospel and wanted so badly to learn more. They wanted to know more about us as far as where we were from, why we were in Brasil, and what we were doing. It was interesting because my companions would add comments but he was specifically talking to me. I bore a small testimony and told him breifly about the church and that I was so grateful that they stopped us. And that they wouldn´t be sorry. I was so mad at myself for not bringing with me a book of mormon...I will not forget next week.
Come to find out they work for a bank here in Sâo Paulo and the Luarte (the one who approached me) studied Physics. I was amazed that they would seek us out like that. They weren´t just curious, they acted. I know it was not by coincedence. Once I had explained what we were doing and that missionaries like ourselves could teach them more, his face lit up. He got so excited. He said,´´I would love if you could teach me more!´´ I explained to him that we would be in the CTM for about 5 more weeks so, we ourselves wouldn´t be able to teach him, but we could contact other missionaries who could. I got his and another one of his friends addresses and phone numbers so, we can give it to the CTM and they can send missionaries to their homes. They were so excited and they kept thanking us and shaking our hands.
My companions were checking out at the line and I was waiting for them and talking with one of them and Luarte came over and gave me a big chocolate bar and said, ´´Please doñ´t forget about me´´ I was going to refuse it, but I knew that he would get highly offended because he really wanted us to remember him so, that he could have the gospel in his life.
We left the store in awe...it was incredible. This was really neat, but it was even more neat because last night I was just praying to my Heavenly Father because I was kind of feeling like I was missing out on other missions..I know that sounds horrble, but I just needed a reassurance that this is exactly where I need to be. Right here in Sao Paulo. When those men came directly to me today, I knew that this is the place I am supposed to be. What an answer to a prayer!!! I am amazed everyday at how intune our Heavenly Father is with each of our lives. He loves us so much, and I know that I am doing His work. This Gospel is so incredibly true and it brings real happiness. We just have to have faith, trust in Him, and do all that he asks of us and if we do, he will bless us beyond measure! I learned the other day something that I really hadn´t realized before about the law of tithing: If you give 10% back to Him of everything you earn (which is just a small portion of what he has given you) then the ´´Heavens will be opened unto you and you will not have enough room to recieve the blessings that await you.´´ One thing I have learned as a missionary is that obedience equals blessings!!!
I love you all and my time is up.
Love you all!!!
-Sister Scott
Tchaú!!!!
Friday, June 5, 2009
Letter/package guidelines and ADDRESS
They strongly discourage sending packages to the Brazil Missionary Training Center. If you have already mailed a package to the Brazil MTC and it arrives after your missionary has left for the field, please understand that the package cannot be forwarded to his or her mission and will be returned to you. DO NOT SEND ANYTHING BY FEDEX, DHL, UPS, or other private carriers. We can only accept mail sent through the U.S. Postal System.
however, THEY STRONGLY ENCOURAGE SENDING HAND WRITTEN LETTERS!
Please write your missionary´s first and last name and district and mail box numbers above the Brazil MTC address on all letters. Your missionary´s numbers are: District (22B) and Box (15). Record these numbers for future reference.
Example:
Sister Ashley Scott
Brazil Sao Paolo Norte Mission
District 22B Box 15
Brasil CTM Rua Padre Antônio D’Angelo
121Casa Verde
São Paulo, SP Brazil 02516-040
however, THEY STRONGLY ENCOURAGE SENDING HAND WRITTEN LETTERS!
Please write your missionary´s first and last name and district and mail box numbers above the Brazil MTC address on all letters. Your missionary´s numbers are: District (22B) and Box (15). Record these numbers for future reference.
Example:
Sister Ashley Scott
Brazil Sao Paolo Norte Mission
District 22B Box 15
Brasil CTM Rua Padre Antônio D’Angelo
121Casa Verde
São Paulo, SP Brazil 02516-040
Wednesday, June 3, 2009
Letter dated 6/2/09
I am loving it here!!! I have the cutest companions. I really lucked out. I have so much to tell you, but I don´t have much time, I will write it in a letter though...this key board kind of stinks....really stiff keys. I am at a place called Mr. Cheney´s. They sell amazing cookies and they offer internet services to missionaries because they are right accross from the CTM. Go to MissionTies.com and you might be able to learn more about it. It is run by members and they really love the missionaries.
I was able to go to the Sao Paulo Temple today....BEAUTIFUL!!!
So, Portuguese is coming...slowly, but surely. I just need to work harder. One of the first things we learned how to do was to pray in Portuguese. So, we all wrote down a prayer and we would take turns in our meetings with our district saying it and practicing. Well, the other night it was my turn and we all knelt down at the end of our long day of classes and study time of 14 hours. My district was already pretty giggly so, I was a mess. I started my prayer and we all tried as hard as we could not to laugh (yeah, tough luck). So, I am trying my hardest to pronounce everything correctly and I get so messed up. I was so tired and tired of Portuguese...it was a mess. Then, my district really got laughing hard. Then, Elder Anderson, who was kneeling next to me said--before I ended my prayer,´Did I seriously just hear you cuss 3 times????´ We all started laughing soooo hard. I couldn´t believe it. I hadn´t even noticed because I was trying so hard to get my words right. So, I quickly ended my prayer as best I could and then it was an uproar! Oh man...I guess it´s better to do that in the MTC than, in the home with investigators.
About the mail-I guess it takes three weeks to get a letter to and from unless, you do the MissionTies thing through Mr. Cheney´s. Í guess it is much cheaper and faster, like 3 days.
Anyway, I LOVE YOU tons tons tons!!! I hope to hear from you soon!!!
When you write, please put my full name and then below my name put: Box #15 and District 22-B and that helps them sort the mail a little easier. Everything else is the same with my address.
much love,
Sister Scott
(that´s still wierd to me...man, I am on a mission!!!)
I was able to go to the Sao Paulo Temple today....BEAUTIFUL!!!
So, Portuguese is coming...slowly, but surely. I just need to work harder. One of the first things we learned how to do was to pray in Portuguese. So, we all wrote down a prayer and we would take turns in our meetings with our district saying it and practicing. Well, the other night it was my turn and we all knelt down at the end of our long day of classes and study time of 14 hours. My district was already pretty giggly so, I was a mess. I started my prayer and we all tried as hard as we could not to laugh (yeah, tough luck). So, I am trying my hardest to pronounce everything correctly and I get so messed up. I was so tired and tired of Portuguese...it was a mess. Then, my district really got laughing hard. Then, Elder Anderson, who was kneeling next to me said--before I ended my prayer,´Did I seriously just hear you cuss 3 times????´ We all started laughing soooo hard. I couldn´t believe it. I hadn´t even noticed because I was trying so hard to get my words right. So, I quickly ended my prayer as best I could and then it was an uproar! Oh man...I guess it´s better to do that in the MTC than, in the home with investigators.
About the mail-I guess it takes three weeks to get a letter to and from unless, you do the MissionTies thing through Mr. Cheney´s. Í guess it is much cheaper and faster, like 3 days.
Anyway, I LOVE YOU tons tons tons!!! I hope to hear from you soon!!!
When you write, please put my full name and then below my name put: Box #15 and District 22-B and that helps them sort the mail a little easier. Everything else is the same with my address.
much love,
Sister Scott
(that´s still wierd to me...man, I am on a mission!!!)
Your Missionary has arrived SAFELY in Brazil
A letter from the Mission President:
We are happy to send the good news that your missionary has arrived safely at the Brazil MTC. What a great joy and privilege it is to greet each missionary as they come through the front door of the MTC for the first time.
They now have companions and are settled into their rooms. They are assigned to a district with capable and caring instructors for language and lesson study. The branch presidents and their wives, who are usually a senior missionary couple or mature Brazilian couple, will soon give them a second greeting. These couples are rewarded in their callings through the love they always develop as they embrace and watch over the missionaries.
The MTC has a full time live-in physician to care for their health needs. He is assisted by his able wife. We are also happy to report that the Cafeteria food is abundant and very good.Your missionary will be able to e-mail home on Preparation Day after a morning at the Temple. This will be either Tuesday or Wednesday, depending on individual assignments.
We are also parents of children who have served as missionaries. And we have been missionaries who have left family. Please know that we are mindful of you and know of your love for your missionary.Your very important young person is about to make an eternal difference in the lives of others. We hope you will be encouraged and comforted by this quote by President Lorenzo Snow: “There is no mortal man that is so much interested in the success of an elder [sister] when he is preaching the gospel as the Lord that sent him to preach to the people who are the Lord’s children.”
Please accept our love, President and Sister Woodward
Tuesday, May 19, 2009
7 days tomorrow!
I leave in a week tomorrow! This is too crazy, it feels like I have been waiting so long and it feels like I am going to keep on waiting. The reality of waking up in a different country in 8 days and not understanding a word people will be speaking hasn't really set in yet. My bags are just about packed, everythings purchased, and my farewell talk is in the works. It's crunch time, and it's all very exciting. This weekend is going to be awesome: Matt, Heather, and the kids fly in on Thursday, Lindsay flies in on Saturday, and my friends from Africa should be here sometime Saturday as well. It is going to be one big party at the Scott house Saturday night...oh and did I mention that Jenn will be there too--woot woot! Mom, I hope you are ready for all this :) hahaha
Oh, and just in case you were wondering: My new missionary name tag came in the mail...and yes, I am a sister now :)
Friday, May 8, 2009
ELDER SCOTT????? Hmmm....
Today my travel information came in the mail-what a relief!!! I was worried about having to wait for my visa but, it came much earlier than I thought it would... I am so so so glad! But, there was a slight problem... Along with my passport, visa, and travel information, they sent a name tag. I was so excited! Until, I looked a little closer...."Elder" Scott! Hahahaha...I laughed good and hard at that one; so did dad :) I immediately called the church travel office, told them what happened, and they pretty much couldn't do anything for me. They did tell me that if I contacted the Provo MTC they might be able to get me one before I leave. So, I called them and after being put on hold a few times, we got it all figured out and there should be one on its way before I leave.
We're getting down to the nitty-gritty's of preparation before I leave. Mom and I went to Logan yesterday and found an awesome umbrella, some way cute earrings, and a watch. I have mapped out a study schedule--I still feel like there is so much to study before I leave--and I should have Preach My Gospel and The Book of Mormon finished before I leave.
I hope everyone is doing well...thank you again for all your support and love! I couldn't do this without you...especially you, Mom and Dad!!!! Love you!!!
Countdown: 18 Days!!!!
Saturday, May 2, 2009
24 Days and Counting!
Well, folks...this is it. Only 24 days left to find countless pairs of nylons...eesh, an umbrella...which seems impossible to find, and other small necessities. At the current moment, I find myself slightly under the weather, my car still packed, and sleeping in Jennifer's room because mine is still undergoing renovations. But, life couldn't be better. I am so excited and as time passes I realize just how inadequate I am in this adventure I am about to embark upon. There are so many loose ends to make sure are taken care of, much more studying to do, and more family to see. I am not sure who will be running this blog after I leave (any takers?) but, this blog will hopefully keep everyone posted while I am away.
I want to thank everyone who has supported me thus far and who has had faith in me when I didn't in myself. I truly believe people become what you believe them to be! Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you for your love and support in every way. Those who have donated to the good cause, I can't thank you enough and hopefully I will be able to repay you in some way someday! I love you all and until next time, Feka Bem!
I want to thank everyone who has supported me thus far and who has had faith in me when I didn't in myself. I truly believe people become what you believe them to be! Thank you, thank you, thank you to all of you for your love and support in every way. Those who have donated to the good cause, I can't thank you enough and hopefully I will be able to repay you in some way someday! I love you all and until next time, Feka Bem!
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