June 26, 2011

I am doing great here in Cali the weather is getting hotter but so far i am fine. I am sorry you are sick I wish I could email you a blessing, but that is kinda sacrilegious haha. Bummer about the Honda, that is kinda funny though, did the wheel completely fall off?!? is dad alright? Congrats to Eric, wish him my best. and tell Meghan i said hi as well. give her my address so she can write me por fa please. Oh yeah that allergic thing. well I don't know what it was, it was in this guys apartment we were teaching and I am pretty sure it was not anything I ate because I have had all that food again already. But I think it could possibly have been his cat, I am not sure yet, I am still trying to find that out. I will keep you posted. The mission president has not yet [discussed the doctor visit] and we will be getting a new one next week so it will probably be a while before they get control of the reigns so I will see. if you could send some Clarinex that would be nice but so far I am fine. Yes my pants are still fitting no special requests in the care package except cereal and you know what I like. ;D I receive money once a month so i am still learning how to budget it. Yes we are fed every night, sometimes twice... hence the reason i am getting fat because i can eat a lot more than my comp and out of courtesy, someone has to take the second helping. Usually me, and usually 3rd and 4th ones to keep them happy. The ranch is owned by a less active church member who is old and really needs help so all of the elders in my district go down and hep her out on Wednesdays.

Anyway nothing new to report this week. oh but we did an awesome service project this week. We carried this 20 ft flag pole that was in 2 pieces up to the top of this mountain, each piece took like 3 people to lift. it was like a 3 mile hike and we mounted it up there for all to see, we also hiked a bunch of concrete, rebar, and water. it was really hard but it was kinda like that iwo jima sculpture haha. We had a group of like 20 people working on it.   

On Sun, Jun 26, 2011 at 9:25 PM, Tracie Scott <tlsw3boys@gmail.com> wrote:

Hello Elder Scott,

How are you?  Are you enjoying the mild climate?  It is getting hot here.  We are hitting the 90's now and wow it feels hot!

So, here is the latest in our lives.  I have been fighting bronchitis this week.  I caught a cold in UT and came home with a terrible cough.  It turned into bronchitis and I started antibiotics on Thursday.  I missed a couple days of work.  I have coughed so hard it has given me headaches!  I am starting to feel better, but I still have the stupid cough.  Dad was out of town this last week and returned home on Thursday--so he missed most of the bad night of coughing--which is good, he wouldn't have slept.  He was driving home in the Honda and the front wheel came off.  I am sure he will tell you all about it.  We had to have it towed.  He and your brothers fixed it though.  However, now the garage smells like solvent!  It stinks BAD! 

The Rothey's bought a very huge, very nice house just past Chatfield Estates.  It was Champ Bailey's home.  So, they moved this last week.  So I helped when I could.  Also, Eric Smith got married and the reception was Saturday.  So Saturday morning we had a Relief Society meeting that I attended.  We learned how to get temple family names.  I left with 7 names.  I came home and found another 7.  I am excited to have family names to do in the temple!!!!  I can seal my grandparents!  Then I spent the day helping Sister Smith.  The reception was nice, in their backyard.  Megan says hi!

I think the Hatch's are going to try to find you this week and take you and your companion out to dinner! 

Dad spoke in church today.  He did a great job--it was on the promised blessings in the Book of Mormon regarding America as the promised land.  He still got choked up but it was very good. 

We have about 3 new families moving in.  That will be nice since we have had some move out. The Rothey's are keeping their old home, so they will still come to our ward. 

Chris Chambers leaves the MTC tomorrow.  Quin Capener arrives at the MTC Wednesday. 

So, about your allergic episode...I need some more information.  What had you had to eat?  Had you been out around any plants?  Did you get stung by a bee possibly?

Has the mission president talked to you about seeing a doctor next month for meds?  That needs to happen so that we have plenty of time to get  them.  Also, how are you seasonal allergies---you know your nasal stuffiness?

Are your pants fitting?  You said you are gaining weight.  Are you allowed to chew gum?  Or should I send Tic Tacs? Any certain requests for things in your care package?  How is the money thing?  Do you get a certain amount each week or month?  Do you eat lunch out?  Do the members feed you dinner every night?

Tell me more about the sister you are baptizing in July.  Do you have any other families you are teaching?

Is the ranch you go to a church ranch?  What days do you go there? 

So today we discussed in RS and Priesthood the conference talk "As Many as I Love, I Rebuke and Chasten"  by Elder D. Todd Christofferson.

It is a great talk.  I highly recommend you read it.  He tells a story of President Hugh M. Brown as the gardener.  He tells how Pres. Brown purchases a run down farm.  He finds a currant bush that is over 6 feet tall and is not producing currants.  He cuts it down to mere stubs.  He says drops like tears appear on the stubs and he hears a voice that says "  How could you do this to me?  I was making such wonderful growth.  And now you have cut me down.  Every plant in the garden will look down on me.  How could you do this to me?  I thought you were the gardener here?"  He then replies "Look little currant bush, I am the gardener here, and I know what I want you to be.  I didn't intend you to be a fruit tree or shade tree.  I want you to be a currant bush, and someday, little currant bush, when you are laden with fruit, you are going to say "Thank you Mr. Gardener for loving me enough to cut me down."  Years later P. Brown was in line to be promoted to general, but was denied because he was a mormon.  He left feeling bitter and angry.  He clinched his fists and said "How could you do this to me?"  He heard  "I am the gardener here, I know what I want you to do."  The bitterness left, he repented.  His course was redirected to prepare him for apostleship.  He later would say "Thank you Mr. Gardener for cutting me down, for loving me enough to hurt me."  I think this is such a beautiful story of how our Heavenly Father REALLY knows us and loves us--even when we need our course altered.  Even when it hurts, he knows the outcome.  He knows what we are to become.  He knows we sometimes need to be cut down to mere stumps to become what we are truly to become. 

Tonight we went to the Taylors for dinner.  We played a new game with them  It is called Sequence.  You would love it.  We will have to add it to our games.

Well, I need to get ready for bed.  I work the next 3 days--early.  So 4:30 am get up time.  Argh!  Dad and the boys are preparing for the Moab bike trip.

I love you and am so proud of you.  I know you can do it.  Don't give up---you can do anything.  Elder Christofferson ends his talk with this quote---All of us can meet God's high expectations, however great or small our capacity and talent may be.

Dig deep, trust in the Lord, turn to the Lord and don't be afraid. 

Oh, and I LOVE the pictures.  I will send it back in the care package this week.

I love you dearly,

Mom