[Mason] Week 7

Hey dudes, que pasa...

I know its been a while and sorry I couldn't email until today, my first pday in the field...anyway. my first area is in Springfield Massachusetts, with Elder Romero, he is from New York but is a native speaker because he is Mexican...life is great here and cold. President Packard game me this assignment of being his companion because he said that this elder is easy to get along with but struggles with obedience and other things...he said that he wants me to turn this Elder around and make him finish his last 5 months strong.  It's so different than the MTC and I love it...there is a bunch of Puerto Ricanos y Dominicanos aqui en springfield pero hay mucha comida muchas oportunidades a compartir el evangelio. este area tiene problemas, however, con encontrando nuevas personas a hablar con, y ahorita, estamos actualizando la lista del barro. tuvimos dos personas con citas a ensenar pero a los dos nos dijeron que ellas no quisieron venir sus casas y ensenar, entonces no he ensenado un leccion.  [ here in Springfield but there is alot of food and many opportunities to share the gospel.  The area has problems, however, with finding new people to talk with, and right now, we are reviewing the word list.  We had 2 people with teaching appointments and both of them said they didn't want to come to their house and teach -- so we have not taught any lessons ] 

It's all good though because at church there were so many new people that showed up...R... y su madre y ellos estan interesado con escuchando mas sobre la iglesia. [R.. and his mother and they are interested to hear more about the church ] I have 2 thanksgiving dinners to attend, shoot me now haha, and football Thursday morning. R.... said he would attend, which is great. also at church, a man, J... showed up, he fell away from the church a long time ago, he is Tyler's age.  He has a kid and a fiancee but doesn't want to get married because his fiancee will lose this child welfare check or something...so we are trying to work with him. he is going to come to church in two weeks and meet with the bishop.   our ward mission leader freakin rocks, and he has such a cool plan for the ward and it is going to work...our Christmas party is next Friday, and we have a goal for each auxiliary leader to bring 1 nonmember,so 6, and this is the beginning. at the start of this next year, we have a goal to get 84 new people to the church because we calculated there are 84 different events or activities, like the Christmas party, this is if you add all 6 auxiliary leaders in and what not, its hard to explain. we have 7 ward missionaries right now, about to be 10 and its so great. anyway we are trying to get the word of the lord spread around, but its very hard...this area, according to President Packard, is the second hardest area in the mission to work in and especially to train in...but its all good. patience is all that is needed.

Anyway thanks for the stuff, the awesome blanket, and the awesome shoulder bag...and we will be getting ipads at the start of the new year supposedly, so I'm excited. life is so great here and when you get a chance, send me my really light running shoes, they are grey with a little red, and they are the champion brand. also send me my rugby sweatshirt because it is freakin freezing when I go the gym in the mornings and what not, and send me some t shirts from my close that i usually wore back home too..I now weigh 231 and its strange because every meal here is so huge, but its great. 

Love you all tons 

Elder Mason Scott

w/Romero

Romero & Zone Leaders

[Weston] Week 7 ( Week 1 in the field baby! )

Hey everybody!

Wow! That is all I can say! What a long week but an awesome week! I have been born(began my mission) into the area known as Santa Ana 5 North, which is in Santa Ana California. So it turns out that my mission is 3 times the original size, because my call packet only showed the English mission, I actually have Newport, Irvine, Anaheim, and Santa Ana in the Spanish mission. My ward and area are apparently the best in the entire mission, because we are about 75% active, which is great!

The wards are tiny here, there are about 150 people over all in my ward, and it is considered a big ward. There are 3 different sets of missionaries in my ward, all of us in the same district, but guess who the district leader is.......My companion Elder Vincent, which means that we do a lot of stuff. I love every minute of my mission so far, it is so fun! My apartment is great minus the cockroaches, but I mean what can I say, If I was one of them I would crash my party all day long too! Everything is fine though.

Dad, thanks for all the stuff, Everyone is jealous of my cool new bag. This week the Spanish has not held me back, except of a lot. It is hard here, because the population is all Spanish, but its like thick Mexican/ Spanglish it is so weird. Elder Vincent helps a lot but I understand a ton. The members already love me because I can speak better than all the other greenies that have begun in this same area, yay for me! I started proselyting an hour and a half after I had arrived on Tuesday which was hard for me to do, I ended up staying up for 26 hours that day. Woot Woot, new record for me I think? We have 9 new investigators this week and only in like 4 days. I have extended baptismal dates to 4 different people, all of which have accepted, this area is booming, and it is so exciting to see how open people are to listen to the Gospel, No doors have been slammed on my face yet! One interesting fact for you all is that most of the children here don't read and write Spanish, only English, but there parents are only Spanish, so we teach in both English and Spanish, which is interesting most of the time. We receive a lot of help from members during the week to help teach which absolutely rocks!!

Elder Vincent and I saw superman the other day on a bike, this guy was high while riding on a bike, and we thought he was going to die! It was entertaining. Being district leader and assistant, we get a car, but actually the next coolest thing, we get the soccer mom car! We are mini-van missionaries! HAHAHAHA! It is super funny! We have dinner every night, super authentic Mexican food, and its super good. On thanksgiving we have one invitation, but that is because it is just another normal work day, we don't get to do anything different for the holiday.

Tonight we are going over to president Bowens house to hang out because Elder Arevalo has to make a movie for the president, and we are like an hour away from our area, so ping pong is on the schedule for tonight. I have learned how to shop super cheap and get by with ten bucks for the week. We get 165 dollars about each month, so about 40 bucks a week to spend on food and laundry. Awesome right? We get a new car next week, brand new 2013 Toyota corolla and also Ipads and Iphones in December.

We begin being a facebook mission next week I believe to, interesting right? Everything is so different than what I had imagined in the MTC, and I really Enjoy everything! My companion and I get into deep study which is super awesome because we teach each other new stuff! I love it so much! I don't really know what else to add because I am so busy! I wrote in my journal for the first time last night since I have been here. I am pretty used to everything now so nothing surprises me these days. Please send letters, packages, I really love cookies! nutella works, peanut butter, cereal, any breakfast or lunch items.... Send letters! The address is 2500 North Bristol street Santa Ana California 92706. I love you all so much!

With all my love and sweat!

Elder Weston Scott

[Mason] Twas the night before leaving the MTC.....

Hey so I will call you guys in the airport tomorrow for a short time...everyone else is doing it and its a tradition anyway. Umm [Mormon expletive] stuff wont be in Boston till Thursday...its going to be a cold night sleep those first few nights...jk its all good (está bien).  Bueno  I leave here tomorrow morning at 0300...after not getting any sleep last night because of pranks...yay...todo está bien.  I'm pumped to get there and get out of this heat...and today for class we were given time to prayerfully and thoughtfully reread our Patriarchal blessings...I really learned alot form what I read again. its so cool how much you learn each time you read it. anyways...I will try to email you again soon but I don't quite know when my Pday is so we will just go from there.

Pictures from Weston

My teachers. Hermano Salazar is the small one in the bottom picture. He is the best

My district Minus 2

[Mason] Week 5

Que Pasa todos?...espero que ustedes esten bien y que sus salud esta bien tambien...Bueno, la semana pasado fue muy divertido, y tambien en el tiempo mismo, nada pasó. Cada dia fue el mismo de el otro, concerniente las cosas que hago con mi distrito. [ What's happening everyone?  I hope you are well and your health is also well.  OK, last week was very fun, and also at the same time, nothing happened.  Each day was the same as the others regarding the things I do with my district. ].

I will speak in English for mom because I know you have to have dad translate...bueno...um, so I'm doing really great, food is starting to turn into a cycle, as in the hot dogs are coming back around again...which really really [stinks]. But its all good because its less than one week until I'm in Boston anyway so it doesn't really matter.

I'm so stoked for the field, and waiting in this giant jail cell is getting so old. Ii want an American cheeseburger so bad right now and so I'm determined to find a McDonalds in Texas at the airport and buy 1, even though I hate that place.

  

Anyway, um Spanish is great...especially temple sessions that are in Spanish...like today. I understood todos and was able to follow along with out missing out on some of the meanings of the words and what not...except at the very end...it was a nightmare... I couldn't understand the guy helping me and so I was just trying to imitate what he was saying. it was so great though. I have more pictures that I  will send.

I don't need anything really, I will get what I need when I get in Boston...and thanks for ordering that bag...I'm so excited to get it. yes my testimony of the Book of Mormon is growing, and I'm in second Nephi  right now and we're not supposed to read side by side, and so the Isaiah chapter stopped me like a bullet. My testimony of everything has grown and I'm so psyched to help people in the states.

I'm jealous of the skiing, it sounds like such good fun...and lobster pasta...sick!!! Anyway, my lessons with my investigators have been great except for one...last Friday...R was so hard. she is literally not receptive to what we are saying and she doesn't want to listen to us on changing, even though she said she wants to change, and she doesn't have motivation. somos frustado con ella pero sabemos que necesitmos mostrar nuestro amor y pacinecia con ella y necesitmos estudiar cómo podemos ayudarle. mi distrito ha dicho muchas tiempos que si este llama a servir un mision fuen en ingles...podriamos estar ROCKSTARS a enseñando. pero, estoy enfocando en esta obra y en esta idioma porque Dios me ha llamado a servir en espanol en Boston, [ We're frustrated with her but we know that we need to demonstrate our love and patience with her and we need to study how we can help her.  My district has said many times that if we were called to server a mission tha twas in English, we'd be ROCKSTARS at teaching.  But we are focusing on this work and in this language because God has called me to server in Spanish in Boston.  ] which is where I desire to serve.

Everything here is coming to an end.. I  have infield orientation on Friday, its all day(16 hours) of sitting and watching...y...a...y........but its almost done here.  My ankle is better and he jugado much futbol con mi distrito y puedo jugar GOALIE otra vez y puedo [ I have played alot of soccer with my district and I can play GOALIE again and I can ] kick the ball super far again....i miss rugby...i can wait until college when i can play again. Weston said he was sick but I didn't notice it much...

No exciting meal stories except that peanut butter and nutella is the best invention ever...and that somebody in the next week is supposed to slap me in the face with a sandwich...one cheek the peanut butter side, and the other cheek is the nutella side. its going to suck.

BTW please send me all of my watches in the next package, minus the all metal one, and my grey pants...the old navy ones that I always wore.  I dont know when I will be able to call you guys...the schedule for departure isn't even made yet. bueno, um no hay algo mas para hablar sobre, entonces, quiero decir Adios por uno mas semana. les amo y no les olviden a HAZ LO JUSTO [ OK, there isn't more to talk about, then I want to say Buy for one more week, I love you and don't forget to choose the right ]

Elder Scott(the cooler one)

Dad: "what is that on your leg?"
Mason: "well it was either the leg or my back... I lost a game against my district and this was the punishment"

[Weston] Week 5

Hola Everybody!

Everything is pretty great here! This past week went by pretty darn fast, it is so weird! Time is flying by! The language is coming along even faster, and it is super exciting! My study skills have increased, which is awesome. Time flies when I am studying hard, weird right? The food here, well I am so done and over that.  I cannot wait for an american cheeseburger! I am not sick any more which is so great! I started working out with some of the guys in my zone here, as in lifting again.  My wrist is holding up okay, but I am lifting the same weight that I was doing in high school again, which is pretty cool, my wrist just gets sore though.  My zone leaders are constantly trying to get me to try new exercises, and when I do them, I show them up almost every time. Haha.  I also taught everyone here to play handball, but I added some extra rules to make it more like water polo, woot woot! I miss that sport, but I am throwing volleyballs a lot now because of that, which is all good. I come in third place now in our ping pong tournaments, I was last place when I got here, and there are 15 people that play.

I started to read the Book of Mormon out loud this week, and it really helps with the accent. I cannot for the life of me role my Rs though, and I am really frustrated about it. I have been trying to hard! I cant really bring to mind any specific spiritual experiences for this week, other then the fact that I study really effectively! My favorite scripture this week is the whole chapter of Alma 32. Its great, and even better in Spanish.

Lets see, We went to the temple this morning, and it was fantastic! It was so good, I understand so well now its crazy! My companions are super crazy, Elder Wharton climbed a tree to get a ball out of it, because I kicked it too hard.... But all is good.

My scriptures are super decked out now, and it is super great! I am excited all the time now! Happiness comes through obedience! I found out this week that I will not be allowed to call home on Tuesday, when I am at the airport, but just in case I happen to have the chance, be ready parental units of mine. Provo missionaries get call cards when they leave the mtc, but president Pratt said that we will be getting no such thing. I was not happy about that. I only have 5 more days in the mtc, and then it is the real deal! I am super excited! AHH! Thanks for everything you all do!

With love,

Elder Weston Scott

[Weston] Week 4!

Hey everyone!

Everything is going great this week! Every day is pretty much the exact same. Which kind of is boring right now, but I cannot wait to get into the field where I can change it up ya know? My spanish is coming along great, I am almost never confused when listening to spanish, and I can speak without much difficulty now.  Its so incredible! My companions are super cool, and both great guys. Thank you so much for the Halloween card guys! I appreciate it! That was the first time I got mail, but I also got cookies and another letter form my mother with it! Thanks! Elder W, one of my comps, gets mail literally every single day of his life. I want to take it all, or as a joke write a DEAR JOHN letter to him from his girlfriend. All is good though. If anyone can figure out how to send Krispy Kremes donuts (how ever you spell that) That would be very much appreciated. Nothing beats good old fashion USA food.

I am so over the food here it is not even funny. AHHH! Plus everyone has been getting sick in the CCM (MTC) and guess who got it. ME. Yay. Not fun, but the doctor here likes to make new companions for everyone that is super sick, he lets them go back to bed! I refused to because I needed to teach my investigator, but I should have because I am not getting any better. I guess when I have symptoms that can eventually turn into bronchitus, then I shouldnt do anything right? I ain't about that life ya know?

I got my new team Mexico jersey that is black with gold and red stipes, my district and I are now the cool kids on the block. Woot Woot! I am having a lot of fun here though and seriously learning a ton. I also never thought that only getting 8 hours of sleep a day and working for 16 would be this hard! Whew! I am always tired!

We had some latino elders that left this past week that were incredibly hilarious because they would make fun of all of our gringo Spanish accents, and then they would try English and it was worse then ours! One elder, Elder O was trying to say something and the only thing that made sense was "I am strong woman Black". We had no idea why he said that but just laughed at him. The natives are so funny! My teachers are still super great! I have learned so many cool demonstrations for teaching different aspects of the gospel! Our "investigators" are both incredilbe, and have both committed to baptism already, and have come to church with us! One thing that is super cool is that the Gift of tongues is real I tell you, but only when we focus on church things, I cant talk to well in spanish about sports or anything besides the church. It is kind of helpful to stay on topic though! My spanish scriptures are now super buff, with color and awesome scriptures marked in them. I also bought these super cool scripture cases for them and a pack of markers for them as well. On sunday I finished the Book of Mormon again! I read it in only 24 days with only 1 hour a day with time to read it! Boo yah! I found so many awesome scriptures this time around too! It was amazing!

Also, every Wednesday night, we have a chance to each real investigators or just volunteers, and it is so cool! This past week we taught a volunteer named A and I made her cry because I shared one of my favorite scriptures with her! Alma 38:5. It applies to everything! We have gotten our rhythm down for teaching, Pretty much I start the lessons, by just talking to them and asking questions, then I start into the doctrine, Elder W then helps a little with the doctrine, Elder M bears testimony and testifies of everything that we teach, and then I make the commitments with the investigator. I do almost all of it, but its all good because they are fine with it, I know the most spanish.

Lets see, I had a wrestling match with a pen on Tuesday like Enos with God. I also got even more boss at ping pong, we went treasure hunting because last Thursday  we found this map under a head stone. I'll attach a picture and it was funny. We ended up finding a history of a district, which was just a flat volleyball with signatures from everyone in the district. But get this, Tyler Wandry's signature was on it! HAHA He just left about a week and a half ago! It was so funny when we found it! I don' really know what else to add! I miss you all so much and cant wait to hear from you! Thanks for everything!

Your Favorite Missionary,

Elder Weston Scott

P.S. Sorry for the typos, Spanish keyboards over here, they are weird.

Fwd: [Mason] Week 4

Good afternoon everybody. I hope everything is so good wherever you are as you are reading this. I'm glad to here that everybody is doing great and I'm glad to hear that Tyler found a job thanks to Dad having friends. I hope he enjoys it and it works out in the end. Everything here is so great...except for the  fact that I want to leave here so bad. I literally do the same thing everyday here and I cant take it no more...I need to get out. I feel like a bear trapped in a cage and can't get out...but seriously. Only 2 more weeks or so and I'm free, sort of.  I want cold weather so bad right now...because it is so hot here. We have had so many good devotionals here lately and they have really made me think about a lot of things. Everything here is getting harder...the schedule, the investigators, the ability to eat the food.

Its all good though. anyway my investigators...R y D.  Elder M and I taught D a few nights ago.., and before we started we had the impression to scratch our lesson and really dig deep to get to know him. Our original commitment was to invite him to go to church with us on Sunday...but we scratched the lesson right? yes we did...however the entire discussion led straight to church and going to church...I know that it was what God wanted and we were being lead by the spirit. it was so freaking awesome...we were so happy because we got him to go to church and we got to know him better and his situation. We walked out of that lesson with smiles on our faces and we were jumping up with joy. R...Tuesday morning. We had no idea what to teach her and we had previously committed her to praying for her purpose in life...the thing she has been struggling with. She hardly ever follows up on commitments and so we slightly planned a lesson towards prayer, faith, and acting on a belief, no matter how small. However, this whole week and last week, we have been learning and working on asking inspired questions, or questions that the spirit guides to help let the investigator open up to us...so again we got the impression that we should scrap that lesson plan. We were scared about what to say in our lesson but when we sat down I felt it wouldbe okay. We started off as usual and then we started the ''lesson''.  She prayed...which was great because she doesn't ever do anything we ask.  We then proceeded to talk about her experience and the whole discussion turned into trusting people and God.   Her whole extended family is LDS, and she sees them all like once a week.  I proceeded to talk to her about something that I cant even recall but it lead up to asking her if she will go to church with her family this week. ....aaghhhh it was so great...and I know it was lead by the spirit the whole time.    

Anyway... my ankle still hurts slightly, and yes I'm stubborn...look at who I'm related too...Dad/Papa.  I have started working out...I'm gaining a lot of my muscle back...except my legs are getting weaker...there is nothing here except a bike..which I ride everyday.  I cant tell if I'm losing weight, but I'm not eating any bread or carbs or juice or any crap like that...fruit and meat and water is the life for me. I found that the probiotics actually make me go to the bathroom much more than not taking it...so I don't take them anymore. its all good though.

I feel like i have hit a  wall in learning Spanish..not because its hard...I've just learned all the lessons already...I'm slowly reading the book of Mormon, its  hard to get time to actually sit and read the BOM and study it, especially in Spanish. I  know I will figure it out...and my testimony is growing of everything and its so awesome to see pieces of the gospel come together like a puzzle.

This is about the extent of my week so I'll send some pictures as well and sorry there isn't much...but its the CCM(mtc)...I will have giant arms though when I come home...in 22 months...it will be sweet...

Love you all so much keep up the good work back home...and I just got the letter today form you and the cookies I got Monday.  Thank you so much...it made me so happy. Scripture of the week is 2 Nephi 2:25..

" 25 Adam fell that men might be; and men are, that they might have joy."

Ponder it and think about the enabling power of the atonement...We can overcome sin through Christ...which is why we can have joy. Adam fell in order for us to experience life and make mistakes, and the atonement gives man a chance to repent and receive forgiveness...the atonement is pure happiness and part of the pure love of Christ.  Remember how charity is the pure love of Christ...what is charity?  I think that charity is giving everything you can of yourself to help build up one another and to help build up the kingdom...be it a smile on somebody's bad day at work or taking an extra 5 minutes out of your day to help somebody out at the store or whatever.  The atonement of Christ is Christs Charity toward us and it is so important because it not only gives us the ultimate example of being charitable, but also the ability to return to our father in heaven.

Christ built us up that we may come closer to Him and Our Father in Heaven, and because he loves us so much that he performed this ultimate sacrifice.  I am and will always be eternally grateful for Christ and the atonement of Christ. And I know that it is Real and that through it we can return to our Father in Heaven once more and receive our happiness.

Love you all....Elder Scott (the cool one) BE GOOOOD (E.T.)