Leadership Training and a Mission Tour

Last week I had two days of leadership training, what a blast. Being with 30+ missionaries for two days, and now I'm at the point in my mission where I know everybody. It's was always a dread to go so missionary functions as a new missionary, where you know maybe 3 or 4 of the elders there. Glad that's behind me. Tomorrow we have our mission tour with Elder Paul V. Johnson of the seventy, an all morning and afternoon event. I won't lie, have no idea who he is, but I'll learn great things from him that will have me saying, "I LOVE ELDER PAUL V. JOHNSON" next week.

This week the rest of our people for the month of August fell off date for baptism. We had four Cambodians, three siblings and a woman. The parents of the kids are less active members, who have a desire to have the gospel back in their lives and for their children, but they don't want to force it on them. The children are pre-teen age, so of course religion is not on their minds right now. Sad. The other one, the woman, looked promising but just picked up another job, and now she is never available to meet with us.

This is the last full week of the transfer, and being a trainer has made it fly by. The end of next transfer is conference, and after that, only ONE more conference to go! That will be exciting, the last conference for a missionary they receive plaza conference tickets, and sit right in front by the side all the leaders enter. My dad wrote me and said something along the lines that not every week will be a spiritual high in the mission field, that sometimes the trials just continue on. That definitely was this past week. Nothing too amazing happened, we contacted many referrals and none turned out to be interested. Talking to people on the streets and out walking didn't want to hear about it, and investigators dropped us themselves this week. I feel like I'm clearing up the desk and organizing it, before I can bring out my books and start studying. Right now and just getting things ready for when those who are prepared will have the attention and focus they deserve from us.

But there was one miracle in particular that occurred this week! This morning, when I stood on the scale.....179.2 lbs!!!! HUZZAH! I haven't seen a "7" as the second number since high school! So there's one thing going right for me :)

Keep the faith, and don't get discouraged when things go wrong, it will all figure out.

LOVE,

Elder Scotty

Three Weeks of Baptisms

Vicky and I, sorry for the terrible lighting. She has been working with missionaries since October. I've known her since my first week in the area. I'm blessed to have been the one to help the Savior in bringing Vicky back unto Him

Now that our solid investigators have been baptized these last few weeks. We're back to finding. Names we've received haven't turned out to anything. As far as our numbers for the week, we didn't have a great week. We went by all the bishops last night, and our starting from the ground up. We have some new referrals and things to check, so I hope to be baptizing again soon.

The workout with the bike continues. Down to 182. There's this bridge going over the freeway in my area, that we ride over a few times a day. It's a good climb. Every time I start climbing it I start singing Mulan's "I'll Make A Man Out Of You". It makes all the difference. I've incorporated it into everything I do. Sometimes I want to quit, like Mulan and the rest of the gang, but as I keep pushing, I eventually overcome all the obstacles in my way. Isn't Disney great!? Why Disney songs are not approved for all missionaries is beyond me! Come on Mormon Tabernacle Choir, let's get the Disney ball rolling!

The week has been a difficult one as far as all the people we have talked to. It KILLS me when I can't help someone. So many see us and come running up to us in tears, with financial, drug, and family problems, and all I can do is say a prayer with them. I don't know who or where these people can go for temporal help. Obviously Christ is what everyone needs in their lives, but man, the world today does a good job of covering up the need for God in our lives today. People get mad at us, cry even more, or are kind and express gratitude for us for at least listening to them and saying a prayer with them. Here in Salt Lake, everyone knows who we are and who we represent. It never gets easy being under everyone's gaze. I thought being popular was all good and fun in high school and at BYU...but I don't really care for it anymore. As long as people can see Christ in me as they're watching me, that's all that matters. I wish I could see Christ's day. What it must have been like for Him to be the center of attention. People wanting everything from Him, people plotting ways to destroy Him as they watched like hawks to see if He would make a mistake, others too afraid to approach Him out of shame or fear of His power. When He atoned for us and died. The lonely journey in the garden, to the hill and be crucified, to have the spirit withdraw from Him for a time. I can never fully understand that, but I think serving here in Salt Lake  I can begin to imagine what His every day life was like. It's hard to have everyone see you and know what you're all about, or claim to be anyways.

I appreciate it all. I wouldn't trade it for anything.

Love,

Elder Scotty

One More Month of Summer as Elder Warczak

August 1st, my second summer in the field coming to a close. It will be nice to leave behind the sweaty shirts and hot sun, but it's sad thinking I'm on the final lap of the mission, only one more of everything. The work is going steady. Two weeks ago we baptized Jeremy, and then this past Saturday was Mike's baptism, the tall man with the three of us elders. We have another baptism this week for a woman named Vicky.


The bike is still enjoyable for me, I'm down to 184 lbs, about a 6 pound loss since the beginning of the transfer. I'm getting really dark, especially the arms. We have investigators in the Cambodian branch now. We went to temple square last night with a woman named Sochan. We brought a translator and she had a remarkable time, she wants to get baptized. Training is a fun calling. I'm not a "touchy-feely" person, so having someone follow me like a puppy gets me a little claustrophobic, but other than that it's good!

Pioneer day was enjoyable. President Monson opened the parade, it was nice seeing him and getting a wave from him when he saw groups of us missionaries. I loved the Utah bagpipe club, Scotland the Brave blaring throughout downtown Salt Lake, love it! My favorite is Mama's Temple Church Choir, they've been in the parade for a couple of years now, I remember them when I was in the parade myself a few years back. They get me so pumped, singing songs like, "Ya know make me wanna SHOUT, kick my heels up and SHOUT, come on now!!!" I can see why people go to church's like that, they're dang good at entertaining. But I'll stick with the restored gospel.

I drew this "Defenders of Zion" picture at the end of last transfer, a little bit of it here, a little here. I'm a nerd, I know, but you have to admit it pretty cool! At the temple last week, Elder Tad R. Callister, who was just called to serve in the presidency of the seventy and is the author of The Infinite Atonement, was in our session. Salt Lake City, what a place to be! Today elders in our zone were at Dick's sporting store at the gateway mall downtown, and ran into President Eyring and visited with him for a few minutes. Best mission in the world!

Pray I continue to lose weight, and I hope all of you have a glorious week!

Love,

Elder Scotty

Aloha!

1) Elder Fifita and I rocking the Tongan look

2) Elder Warczak and Kodama!


My new companion, Elder Kodama, is from Hawaii, the good old island of Oahu. We're having a ball of a time. Our first day we of course went downtown to do extreme street contacting, where we just go and talk to EVERYONE downtown. I began the first hour doing the talking and greeting at first, but then I turned it over to him. It was cute to see him try and shake someone's hand but then back out at the last second and just say "hello". HA! Was I like that a year ago? It was great to see him just get thrown into it, I had many good laughs to myself. Since then things have been great. Elder Kodama's door approaches are getting better, I try to build him up and not say anything mean. Again, lots of fun seeing a new missionary talk to a stranger. Right now we have a baptism lined up for the next four weekends, and we're doing a lot of finding. Being a trainer is a good experience for me, it's making me push myself and really step up and bring my "A" game. Trainers spend one or two transfers with their new missionary. So at least another five weeks with him, or it will be three months total. We no longer have a car, we are doing the bike thing! I know, last year I wasn't a huge supporter of the bike, but now I love it. I'm getting tan, and I'm sweating like crazy, goodbye personal food storage! 

Pioneer Day is this next week. The craziest day in Utah. I'm sure we will be going downtown and doing what we did last year, that is passing out many cards and pamphlets and trying to find new people for the mission. It's suppose to be in the 90's all week, I'll be drinking water and spraying my head with sun block like there's no tomorrow.

I love where I'm at right now as a missionary. I feel confident in my teaching, I have no problem talking to people, and I'm having the most joy I think I've ever had so far on my mission. The next 10 months will be the best ones yet. 

Love,

Elder Scotty

Trainer it is!

Just got the call from President Winn, I have been released as district leader and will be a trainer this transfer!

Trainer, maybe??

Transfers this Wednesday. Rumor be told, I'm going to be a trainer, staying in my area. But I heard that a few weeks back, so who knows what has gone on since then. Either way, I think Elder Fifita and I will be going our separate ways.

Right now we have three people on date for baptism, but only one of them is solid. Of the two, one is facing cigarettes and right now we are not sure if he has the determination needed to overcome them. The other is a woman we put on date for baptism the first time we met her, she was a referral from the relief society president. She has been coming to church a couple of weeks now, and really enjoys it, as does her three young children. Recently though, she has had some health problems, and talking with her less-active friend that comes to church with her, she is now thinking she may be rushing into the church thing too soon. I really hope all works out with her, a single mother like her needs the gospel in her life.

It's incredible to think that the summer is almost over, after this next transfer I'll be getting ready for October Conference. I recently read over Elder D. Todd Christofferson's article in the special issue of the Ensign regarding Jesus Christ entitled, "Becoming A Witness of Christ". That is what I am studying and working most at becoming right now, a true witness of Christ. To know of Him, to act like Him, to have other see Him when they see me. It's a process, something that will gradually occur over time as I make right decisions everyday. But I have realized that my mission is coming closer to an end than I realize, and I don't want to come off the plane in Sea-Tac still the same old Scotty, if that makes sense? I don't want to come home and do the same things. My life needs to be change for the better, and if a mission can't do that, nothing else I do will.

Take care, and God Bless

Elder Scotty

Go See 17 Miracles - That's an Order

4th of July yesterday was a memorable one. It was an all day p-day, and that was a little bizarre. We had so much time, and with all the email places closed, we had to kill time. Until...we gathered at the theater at the gateway mall. 150+ missionaries in a movie theater, everybody else there was a little "freaked" to see us! I must admit, I felt a little scandalous being in a movie cinema, my rebel ways are diminishing here in the missionary world! The movie, "17 Miracles" was superb! If it's playing anywhere around you, go see it! It shows just some of the miracles that happened with families and individuals who were part of the Willie Martin handcart company, a group of early church saints that came to the Salt Lake valley from England, and had no wagons, but handcarts to pull themselves across the plains, and then ended up trapped in terrible winter conditions. I cried, for sure. All of these stories come from journal accounts of those that were part of the group. Afterwards, the director, T.C Christiansen, spoke with us in the theater about the making of the movie and some of the things he learned as he filmed the movie.

I am so grateful for the rich heritage of this church, and too often I take it for granted, forgetting what so many went through to allow me to have the true gospel of Jesus Christ in my life. 

The work in my area is getting busier. We have names to go by, many potential investigators, and people that should be on date for baptism by the end of this week. On Sunday our couple that we were trying to get married, but all of a sudden backed out, came to church and talked with bishop. They wanted to get married THAT day. Elder Fifita and I ran home to grab the marriage license and paperwork and brought it back to church. Truly a miracle. 

Another man that we have been teaching recently had a stroke. HE is a member of the church, but had been very inactive since his youth, until he had his stroke and had a priesthood blessing that he knows is what saved his life. He knows he felt the holy ghost touch his heart, and said that as he was given the blessing, feelings he never felt before came over his entire body, and the frantic attitude of the room dissolved, and there was peace. Come to find out, his membership records cannot be found. We will need to recreate his records if possible, or otherwise baptize him again. The Lord truly does prepare people for us to teach, and goes a step further and prepares people for the set of right missionaries and vice versa. This man is a great example to me and how keeping a positive attitude through a challenging part of life makes all the difference. I am able to relate to him somewhat with my cancer story, and how staying happy is really the thing that makes or breaks you.

Transfers are next Wednesday. Again, I have no idea what will happen to me, President Winn is pretty unpredictable. Zone conference is this week, perhaps I'll find something out. Everything else is good. Driving home from the movie last night, as I reviewed in my mind the stories of the pioneers I just heard and how what a terrible human being I have been about thinking my life and situation was soooo hard, I saw a billboard for a company I don't know, but that read, "No Excuses, No Complaints." I thought, "How true is that?" I love that phrase, and will try to make it a part of my everyday experiences.

Love,

Elder Scotty