Buenas Tardes!
Como andan? Hope all is well in Colorado! I hear more snow is still falling! I can only say that it is getting so incredibly hot for me, not as bad as Elder Lawson in Honduras though! I still have a car with A/C! Boom! This week was pretty good! I am not sure if I have mentioned this yet, but my current area has been struggling for over a year. No success, but even worse, is that there has not been too much trust between the members and the missionaries that occupied this area in the past. (Occupied, not worked, get it?) I went on exchanges this past week with my District Leader, Elder Pace, who is very young but it dong a great job. We talked a lot about what I can do with Elder Tanner to turn the area around. It is going to take some serious effort, which I am willing to put in, but it is possible.
We already have 3 baptismal dates in this area as of right now, since I have arrived. We have another potential from a man named Alfredo. He has a family of 5, his wife and 3 small kids. His young son saw the movie Spider Man, and now thinks that he is Spider man. It is so funny. He is constantly trying to stick to the walls, and it is so awesome! I joined him one time for about 10 minutes. It was super duper fun! His name is Jordan. Alfredo has been very sick, he is what we would call nicely a work-a holic. That is to gently put it, because of all the strenuous labor he has been doing, and with not resting much, his body pretty much shut down. His blood pressure sky rocketed way over 200, and now is bed ridden. He has been very sad the past couple of weeks, and we stopped by yesterday actually, we had tried almost every day this week, but he seemed a lot different. He was enjoying his time with his family. Last transfer, his major doubt was the fact that he did not want an eternal family. Just to simply state it, we later found out this past week that it is because he was not exactly following the 10 commandments, ie. the one that deals with marriage. His wife and him have been taking classes, and counseling. Now he expressed his most sincere interest in the Eternal Family. It was so cool to see the change in him! He told us that he fully intends on reading the Book of Mormon with a true desire, and to sincerely pray. He wants to know the truth, and believes that Joseph Smith's experience makes sense logically and spiritually within him. I am so excited for this man. Alfredo has moved mountains in a matter of days, he will definitely be baptized this transfer. Yay! Elder Tanner and I have a baptismal goal of this 2 this transfer, we had 7 this past month in our zone, which is the zone's best! Woot Woot.
This week was pretty good, I am about half way in the New Testament, which is awesome! I will definitely finish that this transfer. I restarted the Book of Mormon in Spanish, and now I am focusing on only studying in Spanish. I understand what I read and write about 90% of the time now so I will be able to do well in studying in Spanish now.
We had a zone meeting that was very long, but we learned a lot about our studies, and how we need to regain our focus. With the new I-Pads, we have a lot more materials to study from, a lot more. Hello! General Conference talks from 1979 are on Gospel Library! How do I know? Well, we all lost our focus a small bit as a mission, so I possibly am included in that ..... However, we were reminded that Preach My Gospel is our tool, and is our resource. It has everything that we will ever need to study and learn and do as a missionary. It is our focus as missionaries. If anyone has seen the missionary training videos, and specifically the district 1, "this is a Preach my Gospel mission." Preach My Gospel is so amazing! With the I-Pads we can do some pretty sweet stuff with it now. We can use Gospel Library to categorize all of our notes, scriptures, you name it. Oh, I need a scripture that talks about Prophets? Oh well let me see, Bam. Prophets tag. Oh look, I have 10 different ones to use. It is really helpful, in that sense. I still do not very much like planning on them, but it is getting better!
Using Facebook is another tool that we have as missionaries now, only in 30 missions though. Facebook has been prepared for the use of missionaries. Think about it! Where else can I talk to thousands of people at one time, or have the opportunity to have thousands read my testimony as well? I can knock probably 15 doors in an hour and teach some people about the Restored Gospel of Jesus Christ, where some people will see us coming, and close their door, or just not answer it. With Facebook, it is different, for an hour each and every day, we can send messages to people that live in our areas, by using the search people that live nearby feature, or simply post scriptures or quotes or our testimonies. When members share, comment, or like what I post, then their friends can do the same, so it is a continuous line in the water for people everywhere to have the opportunity to feel the Spirit of the Lord touch their lives. When we send out messages on Facebook, it is the same concept as knocking on a door, let them know who we are as missionaries, and also what we are there for, but with online messages, it is a continuous knock that will knock until it is read. Facebook is designed very well for mass contacting. It is awesome! That is why it is so important to share and comment and like the things missionaries post.
General Conference was awesome! It was really powerful this time, for me anyways because I actually focused the whole time! On the mission it is so much better! I have been studying a lot about the Restoration, and about how truly marvelous it is to know for myself that the true Church of Jesus Christ has been restored. With all the same authority and doctrine as there once was. My favorite part about conference would have to be when one of the speakers (I do not remember who it was) said that in all that Christ suffered for us, our lives and bodies are actually his now. We have a divine debt to live up to. We need to do all we can to follow Christ and live as he lived, it is not our choice, because in all honesty, our lives are not our own! I thought about that a lot, why am I truly out here on my mission? Well to do exactly what Christ my Savior would do!
I hope you all have a great week!
From your favorite missionary in CALI!
Elder Weston Scott
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