March is off to a slow start. We have two Nepali people on date for the 19th, but the husband smokes, which is too bad. We need more Nepalis to come to our area. None of them drive, and since there's no branch we can't do anything to help people get to church, the service missionaries we have are already do so much. Transfers are this Wednesday. Elder Clerveau may stay, but he has been here six months. With the success we had I can see President leaving him here. But I can also see me becoming a trainer. Who knows, I really don't have a preference.
But to more positive things, our mission had 88 baptisms last week, which broke the mission record set the week before of 87. We also broke the mission record for baptisms in a month with 283 in February! So this Wednesday, the entire mission is coming together at transfers to celebrate. This is Salt Lake, so who knows what will happen there. We know there will be lunch, but maybe a special guest appearance?!?! Get this! As I and the elders I am with are driving up south temple today, we turn right, between the conference center and the church library. Sisters Bates and Tagawa, Sisters in our zone, are at the corner. We roll down our windows to talk to them, and they say Elder L. Tom Perry just crossed the street, and they got to shake his hand! We looked towards the conference center, and sure enough, Elder Perry was walking with another man, rocking some blue jeans and an overcoat! Dang it!!!! Another missed chance to meet an apostle!
So, conference talk has begun. I hope everyone who is planning on going to conference makes time to see their favorite Elder! To answer my mother's question: No, I'm not learning much Nepali. I know phrases and I'll write things down, but there's really nothing written in Nepali for me to study. For church things, all they have is the old gospel principles book, the articles of faith, and one of the proclamations by the first presidency in Nepali. No dictionaries, no Book of Mormon yet, zilch! So yeah, don't expect me to talk in Nepali anytime soon, I can say basic stuff, and random phrases here and there, but that's it. We really do rely on our translator, and he does a great job. The power of the spirit can still be felt there, even though half the time I'm just smiling and praying things are making sense to investigators. Teaching people who I can't communicate with using words, and having to teach them about Jesus Christ, a person they know nothing about, and why He means so much to their lives, it's a huge undertaking. I wish I could do more, sometimes I feel helpless. But then again, 19 Nepali people were baptized last month, whatever we told them, they felt it. Many of our recent converts were able to go to the temple last Saturday and do work in there, and they all loved it! The church is still true, no matter what language it's being taught in, and what culture the people may have that are hearing it. All of it has a familiar "ring" to them.
Well, keep the prayers coming, I'm always in need of them, and hopefully I'll get to see some of you all in a few weeks!
Love,
Elder Scotty
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