Fwd: Weekly Email

Dear Family,
Well this week was an opposite to the previous. Tuesday, we did a
whole day of service. Started out in the morning hanging drywall it
was hard work but the nonmember we were working with (a contractor)
said we did a better job than he would have done. That was pretty
cool. Than we sped over to help landscape a members yard. (It has been
an ongoing project for about a month and I have been a part of it from
the beginning.) I just love helping people do stuff and getting my
hands dirty. Wednesday was... interesting... So we helped again a
little with the landscaping in the morning and then they took us to
lunch. (at Chipotle! Woot!) The register was failing and we all got
free lunch! Blessing before the storm... After we came home I was
lubing up my bike while my comp was in the shower. He bought some
super psycho lube and it worked WAY to well. So I lubed up and tested
my bike and it shifted great! But when I tried to stop, I couldn't. I
think I may have got some on the disc brakes... ugh. So I took them
apart cleaned them and found that when I put them back together that
the cable clamps were so worn down that they couldn't grip the cables.
(no stopping power....) So I was pretty annoyed as you can imagine
especially because last week I just dropped a bunch to fix the back
wheel.
 As I was stressing out about it the next day. We had Zone
Conference, which was great because i always get a lot out of it.
However I HATE sitting there that long and it kills the whole days
worth of work. I have learned by now to never schedule appointments
that day because it ALWAYS runs like 2 hours later than they say it
will. Quite Literally every time. So i was a little annoyed, but oh
well. I didn't have to worry because i didn't plan ahead, so no schedule
conflicts!
 Friday, my companion tried to pull a fast one on me, he was going
to surprise me by having the ZL's steal my bike while we were at an
appt, and fix it. But i stopped it because we were running late and
  decided to ride it without brakes. Haha. Plan Foiled. So they didn't
take my bike. I had no idea about this, but when I found out i was
mad, because being me, and prideful, I don't like to ask for help...
But he argued with me and pulled the card of denying him a blessing
for helping me out like Jesus would and totally guilt tripped me into
submission. <sigh...> So, we finally made it to the bike shop on
Saturday and ordered new calipers because they are totally fried. And
I begrudgingly let my companion pay. Grr...
 So now i realize that blessings are all around i am just to stubborn
to receive them because i try to take on the world myself. I think
that God is trying to humble me and make me pray more sincerely.
Because i am not very good at that still. Even as a missionary I
forget to pray.
  Elder Hyatt my comp keeps thinking i am going senior companion
next transfer, because i guess i am good at just getting stuff done
and leading and stuff, but i certainly hope not. Added responsibility
isnt really my style as you already know... So yeah its been a rough
week without my bike and i will get it back in working order on
Thursday. It is a lot harder to be effective without it. Sorry I couldn't email yesterday.

Oh and Ken is doing better he got a job and we are going to meet with
him this week. And we have another appointment with our investigator
Doug tomorrow!
Finally Teaching!!!!

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*- Elder Tyler Scott*

RE: May 21, 2012

Dear Family,

   Well this has been quite a week. Tuesday I had an exchange with Elder Mecham, (my oh so wonderful Zone Leader) and turned out not to be too bad. We had some minor disagreements but nothing out of the ordinary. We got along and I showed him that I work hard and am a leader. He seemed impressed with the fact that I have my act together, especially since he knew me when I was in bakes.

   Wednesday we had District Meeting, during which we talked about Christlike attributes a little bit. I got into a deep study and didn't pay attention the rest of the meeting, But I learned a lot. I was reading about humility and got a slap in the face, Let me explain why... I have adopted the mentality that EVERYTHING in life is a competition. But I figured competition is healthy right? Wrong. As I was reading about humility in Preach my gospel I read that "Pride is Competitive." and pride is condemned in the scriptures. crap. Pride has been something I have struggled with and was under the impression I had gotten over it. Boy was I deceived. It all makes sense why I have issues with people and leadership and stuff... 

   Anyway it kinda put me into a shock like state and I felt like poop. I imagine kinda like Alma felt. So in order to help me out after lunch my companion let me take an additional study time to get my ducks in a row... and overcome my depressed feeling. I know I need to change, but I liked the current version of myself. ugh... So I ended up reading the bible for like 3 hrs... I felt a little better but it wasn't until I prayed that I actually overcame it. Weird, it actually works. 

   Thursday was the kicker. We started out the morning doing service to help out a potential investigator. Then we came home and cleaned up to go out to work.  As we were about to leave I stopped and thought to myself, "I need to call Ken," (another potential investigator) So I called him. He was overjoyed that we called because he was having a bad day and we set up an appointment to come over right then.

   When we got there we learned that he had been having a rough day and had been in the house for only 5 minutes before we called, (spirit impeccable timing). As we began talking I was prompted to tell him about the Addiction recovery program, he was so ready and willing. This was before he even told us he was having problems with alcohol abuse. We chatted, listened, and testified of the truth of the Holy Ghost and Jesus Christ our savior and it was crazy how it felt. I cant explain it. He told us about the crap he had been dealing with. Recently out of prison, Drinking, Girlfriend stole all his stuff and some of his parents, Divorced, and his family hates him right now so he cant talk to them about it. So he is utterly alone... (Side note: as we were talking the whole time he had this familiar feel, almost like I had known him for a long time, like an old friend, it was really weird)  He and I really connected and I could feel God's love for him radiate inside and through me. He just kept going on about   how I specifically meant to him. (I had only talked to him twice, and on the phone once) And how I was his brother. It was like I was sent here for him. I also learned that he and his family are highly involved with a background in computer science. I was just thinking to myself. "WHOA! I was meant to find you!" It was absolutely crazy.

   We then offered him a blessing of comfort and I gave it. I was nervous, like always, and about halfway through it he whispered to me, "don't worry about it brother don't be nervous." As soon as he said that the feeling instantly changed. I felt a flood of power just 'channel' through me. I don't even remember what I said, but I KNOW how I felt. We made a difference in his life.
   Riding home from that I was just in awe and dumbfounded, because there was like a series of events that clearly led up to that. God was basically saying, "You idiot, you do feel the spirit, stop whining!" Because I have been worried my whole mission that I don't recognize the influence of the spirit. And usually I don't until afterward. The phone call, the prayer my companion uttered, the scripture Ken shared with us (which I had read in my studies 2 days earlier) (Romans 15:13), My companions brief message, and the whole thing was directly led by the spirit. And I didn't have a clue!

   SO yeah its been a crazy week, my bike tire broke on Friday and I had to drop $75 to fix it. Ugh... And now I have finally realized how much I have changed in my mission. Sometimes a mission wears you down and other times it enlivens you. It has its ups and downs of teaching and business, and leadership is always annoying. but when it comes right down to it, it is about the people and experiences. That is Ultimately why we are here. To learn how to love like God would. To comfort those that stand in need of it. To physically serve selflessly, beyond our body's capacity, and then continue spiritually. To be an example for future missionaries. And to show others that we care, enough to adapt and change to their needs. Always. Obedience and Fun are possible, you just have to find a middle ground. And; A Mission Strips Away What Your Not, And Amplifies What You ARE...

TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTIONS:

Garments, Lg Tall shirts

Bottoms...I forget... um, I will let you know next week.

We have about 5 people in our pending teaching pool and were working hard to get that all situated, 2 solid investigators though.

This email was one of my journal entries

--

- Elder Tyler Scott

Fwd: Weekly Email.

Well, I don't know what to write because I kinda told you all about it yesterday...

Dear Warren E Hardy Family Foundation.

 I am sincerely grateful for the support you have given me as a missionary. I am so glad for the opportunity that I have to be here serving the Lord. It would have been a lot harder to stay out if i didn't have funds supporting me each month. Thank you for that, This mission has changed my life. and I couldn't have done it without you. 

- Elder Tyler N Scott 

California Ventura Mission

- Elder Tyler Scott

Fwd: May 7, 2012

Dear Fambam.

Well, It turns out that it is not so bad afterall with my new companion. his Name is Elder Hyatt and he is from texas. He has changed alot from when i knew him back in bako. So thats a blessing. And it is interesting because i am playing the role of the senior companion again because i have been in the area longer and the mission. He is only 9 months. So things are going well and he seems to really look up to me.

We have had 3 HUGE service projects this week. We have been relandscaping a members backyard, We helped with a move (in which the ward really saw me shine because of my experience = added member trust), and we helped lay a bunch of sod and i was put in charge of rolling over it. BIG WORKOUT.

Our wards really are starting light on fire for missionary work because of our example. I got kinda emotional when our Ward Mission Leader Brother Walter (convert) bore his testimony that we are the right guys for the job. He was pretty mnuch bragging about us. We went mountain biking with him today and he kicked our butts. Sheesh i have low endurance climbing. but at least i can catch coming down like a madman! Haha. I love it. I cant wait to get more into it when i get home with Dad. And i am kinda becoming an expert on bikes for the other missionaries. Pretty Cool Huh? I Can fix stuff!

I have lost about 20 pounds now! i am 219 roughly (cuz you fluctuate throughout the day) and i am feeling GREAT!

We went mountain biking today as

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- Elder Tyler Scott