Just Another Trial...No Big Deal

So you know how last week I was telling you about ALL the people and
families we found....well, forget about them. HA! This past week was
B-R-U-T-A-L! We had 9 investigators dropped, many of which called us
after our first meeting and told us they did not want to meet with us
again, or that they were just too busy with life. Everyday the phone
rang with the bad news. What brought a smile to my face was the song
by Queen, "Another One Bites the Dust", it's been in my head all week.

Our baptism Saturday went great. I have pictures, but I didn't bring
the right memory card from my camera :(
The whole thing was in Spanish, it was pretty cool to feel the spirit,
even though I had no idea what was being said.

I'll share a personal experience I had this weekend. We spent it down
in the Coalville Stake. We had received a list of new move in's and
part member families. One was of a man who was inactive living with a
woman, who also is an in-active member. Upon arriving at their home,
the man came out to greet us. He was very friendly, and happy to see
us. He himslef had served a mission to West Virginia twenty years ago.
He was married in the temple and graduated from BYU and went on to
medical school. After twenty years of marriage, he and his wife were
divorced, and he now has tattoos and piercings. Instead of being a
family doctor, he has left that and is now running a marijuana farm
down in Arizona and selling it for medical purposes. He said he still
has a firm testimony of the church and the Gospel, but took the
divorce hard and is happy where he is at right now. It blew my mind.
As we left I began to think, "How can I make sure that's not me in
twenty years?" The question really began to bother me, because this
man had said he never thought he would be where he is at now.

The next day we visited a name we had received at church to stop by.
We got the the address wrong, and ended up at a relative's house, an
older couple. There was a portrait of a man in their living room that
I had seen at the church building before. It was of the same picture.
This man, Elder Olsen, was murdered while serving his mission in
Columbia back in 1989. Turns out this was his home we were now in, and
these were his parents. We talked about it with them, and what that
experience was like. We asked them, "How did you keep your faith going
through a trial like that?" They replied, "It never wavered, our faith
in the true church of Jesus Christ is what supported us through that,
and is what continues to support us. Our faith never wavered." I know
Heavenly Father answered my question through this good couple, and
that it was meant to be for us to go to that house. I know tough times
will come in my life, like these people I've mentioned. This couple
helped me to realize that no matter what happens, the Savior is there,
and with Him I can handle anything and become a better person.

The week was tough, one of the hardest. Nothing went our way. I'm
still not sure what we are going to do to find new people to teach,
we've tried everything. But miracles will happen, as long as I
exercise faith in Christ.

Love,

Elder Scotty

Snow and No Car

Pics:

Lexi was baptized by her uncle last Saturday, she's very excited about
the Gospel, and her older Sister Shaely is showing interest in
learning more!

Typical missionary apartments, but some Elders, like Elder Keel and
Ericksen in rock Springs, live in a castle with many priviledges :)


Today we had to turn our car in to the shop to get repaired. If I
didn't tell you before, an elder before I arrived here had the smart
idea to try and drift the car in the ice, and ended up spinning out
and smacking the driver's side of the car into a fence...you can
imagine my feelings towards this individual as I learned our car will
be worked on for over a week, and we will have to walk during the day.

Snow came on Saturday. It dumped on us! We're back to sunny skies, but
another storm is coming tomorrow. This week was a grueling one. We
found many new people to teach, but then four of them called and told
us they did not want to meet again...dang! We had to let of few others
go as well, they just were not progressing and didn't want to make
changes now in their lives. BUT! tonight we are seeing a family. Dad
is a member, but mom and none of the children are. They were excited
to see us at their door one night, and we pray that they will want to
continue to meet with us.

In one of the wards we cover, there is a Scottish woman! She met her
husband over there, a cowboy from Evanston Wyoming, and the two of
them decided to get married and to live here. She's an older lady,
bright bright red hair! She has the accent and all. I told her I'll be
coming over to talk about Scotland and to have her show things from
Scotland to me! I'm pumped, a Scot here in Wyoming, oh yeah!

LOVE,

Elder Scotty

It's Dang Cold!

UGH! So I don't have any pictures today. The plan was to email
tomorrow, because we are pretty busy today. We had some time this
morning, so my companion says, "Let's go email"....I don't have my
camera with me! Barnacles.

We had a great baptism on Saturday, the girl was very ready and
excited. We have met more people this past week, including a freshman
girl at the high school and her father. She is amazing. She has been
to church summer activities, and knows that she has felt the spirit.
She didn't know much about Christ, but she not only understood it as
we explained, it rang true in her. She wants to be baptized! Her dad
is interested as well, he will probably take a little longer, but he
is very supportive of the church of knows that there is something to
it.

It's getting very cold here. Right now it's about 7 degrees, and
that's with the sun out and blue skies. It's actually not that
intense, just when the wind blows, then I feel it to the bone! Long
john's and hand warmers are my heroes right now.

Our zone is doing extremely well right now. Everyone is having
success. It's usually tougher here in Wyoming, with the small towns
and all, but it's amazing to see the Lord leading these people to us.
One companionship had 10 new investigators this past week! February
will be a great month for us.

Love,

Elder Scotty

Out In No Man's Land

Yes, I'm still a zone leader. Here in Wyoming, there is no "city" there all small towns. I serve in the biggest one in our zone, Evanston (it has the Wal-Mart!) but the rest of the zone is in the middle of NO WHERE! Lyman, Kemmerer, Green River, Rock Springs, absolutely nothing out in those places. There's a buffalo ranch in the Lyman area, so I get to see them every now and then :) Wyoming is beautiful, with the mountains we have and then the flatness of it, it's really something to awe over. Sorry I don't have pictures, we are emailing first today, and I thought we'd be doing it later. I planned on taking pictures at certain spots and everything today!

 

Yes I live in an apartment. As far as mail goes...letters we have a lock box, but packages? I think they just put them on our doorstep, which should be safe, we are somewhat secluded, and our neighbors are active members. We don't go to Salt Lake City regularly. The next time I'll be there in probably transfers come February 8th. Yes Courtney, please find me aplace to live in Provo, I don't have any plans with firends or mission buddies to room together, so where ever you want me to live I'm down for it! And of course I'm flying home, I have to teach the people on the plane ride! Hahaha!

 

Zone conference was yesterday in Salt Lake. Those are always enjoyable. Our zone is doing somewhat well, no major issues. As for my area we are in good shape for the time being. We have three people on date for baptism right now. A few people want to be baptized, but want to wait for certain situations. One man is dealing with a divorce right now, and the other wants to wait for her husband to become worthy to baptize and confirm her a member of the church. The people out here are amazing, I am going to have many close friends from serving here.

 

As this transfer is winding down, it scary to see the missionaries that are leaving. Many of them I have known my entire mission, and as they leave I become one of the older missionaries. Elder Burkard goes home this transfer, my second companion I spent over 4 months with is leaving me! There's not too many left that have been out longer than my group, there's so many new missionaries that I've given up on trying to figure them out. Especially here in Wyoming with only 14 of us. I'll be here a while, I won't know anybody by the time my mission comes to a close!

 

Things are great, I'm excited for what Wyoming holds in store for me.

 

LOVE,

 

Elder Scotty Warczak

Transferred???

Imagine my surprise when I heard that I was being shipped off again. I said it my entire mission, "I don't want to go to Wyoming, especially in the winter time!" Well well....Elder Warczak is now over the Wyoming zone! We cover Evanston, WY and the Coalville, UT area. It's nice being out of Utah, I feel like all the other missionaries in the world now. I have space, we have to drive far to get to places, it's lots of fun. I'll make sure I take pictures, I've just been so lost this week trying to remember names and streets. I'm serving with Elder Willnauer, who I came out with from the MTC. He's one of the best missionaries in the mission, we are both easy going guys that want to work. So far there's no snow, but I'm sure it's on the way. The members here seem amazing, they will definitely help us out.

 

We found some great new investigators this past week. An unmarried couple with a one year old boy and a single man who's had problems with the law in his life. All are incredible. This man has had a rough life, suffering much for his poor decisions. He works now with a good group of LDS men and they have been sharing the Gospel with him. He is the most prepared person I've met on my mission. He may need to wait for baptism due to the legal matters, but he will do whatever he needs to in order to have the blessings Heavenly Father wants for him in his life. We have three young children on date for baptism. All three were set on baptism when I got to the area. From what I see mother, all family member are on board and excited for their kids to be baptized. I know you don't like seeing kids baptized into inactivity, and I'm the same way, I'll make sure that if we teach children, I have the parents on my side and they are willing to get back into activity themselves.

 

Nothing else to report, new year's was good, we played catch phrase at a member's house. The entire mission had a party at the mission office, but since we're so far away here in Wyoming, we weren't allowed to come. I know I know, sad day! Still love being a missionary, 2012 is here, and I have 5 months left, time to kick it into high gear.

 

Love,

 

Elder Scotty