Fwd: January 30, 2012

Dear Mom and Dad,
This week has been a good one. Victor is still struggling with stuff but we are still working with him. We have 8 progressing investigators, 4 of them are from a family we have been teaching. They are awesome! they ave really good questions and are the most promising investigators i have had my whole mission. We taught them the Plan of Salvation this week. We also have another Part Member family we are stoked about. A young couple, Husband was Less active, wants to come back to church. His wife is not a member and is really interested and is doing all of her homework! Woohoo! finally some people that are more interested in learning the gospel than talking to us! But of course, we are pretty cool so i am guessing that has something to do with it. ;D Anyway, Maxene we are teaching again too! Lots of miracles! Anyway. My health is improving, and yes Bakersfield hasnt been good to me but i like the people here. One of the members families, the Romeros have 3 boys (teenagers) and their tradition with missionaries is to wrestle them. So, being the type of people we are, Elder Thomson and I engage matches with them sometimes. Its fun  being a missionary.

On Mon, Jan 30, 2012 at 7:20 AM, Bret Scott <bnscott2@gmail.com> wrote:

Elder Scott --

Just a reminder -- President Grover has asked for a few quality pictures of our missionary doing missionary work -- we don't' have have a lot of good pictures with YOU in them, so please send me something that you want him to have.  They are putting together a slideshow of the stake missionaries for the upcoming Stake Conference.  If you don't send me something, I'll pick and choose from what you have sent us several months ago, there is not a lot to choose from.

Speaking of President Grover, we had Stkae General Priesthood meeting last night.  President Grover told a story about the murder of Joseph Smith.  Apparently when the mob was plotting against Joseph, they were meeting secretly to devise a plan to kill him.  There were a couple of young boys in the meetings, who were sympathetic towards the Prophet, and recounted the meeting minutes to the prophet after each one.  Joseph Smith prophesied to them that at the next ( and final ) meeting, they would be required to take an oath to join the mob to carryout their evil plans to murder Joseph Smith.  The prophet asked these boys to be courageous and to attend this final meeting, to not commit to join with them, but to stand strong -- he warned them that their lives would be threatened because "they new the mobs plans",  The message President Grover was conveying was that the young men are to stand courageous, even when their lives are on the line.  It was very touching and a nice reminder for all of us that the world is heading fast down a road that we do not want to be on -- so we need to muster courage to stand for what is right, no matter what. 

President Hammond relayed a story about a football team in Texas who showed love and compassion toward another team which happened to be made up solely of inmates of a maximum security prison --- during the game the community rallied around the visiting team and cheered them on.  The home team still one like 33-14, but the team made up of hopeless teens with nobody in their lives to support them, stood tall because for one night, there were citizens, parents and good people cheering for their success.  At the end of the game, the coach of the visiting prisoner football team took the home team's coach aside and told him "you will never know what this has meant to these boys, to have a glimpse of hope in their lives"  President Hammond's message was that God is Love, Love is Charity, and we should conduct our lives with the sole purpose of demonstrating love to our fellow men -- even those who are struggling to stay on the straight and narrow path ( like this football team from prison )

Seth Guthrie gave his farewell talk yesterday, he was apparently set apart as a missionary last night and leaves for the MTC on Wednesday -- he makes #11 from our ward.  Bishop Olsen reported that the Stake Presidency calls our ward "The Missionary Machine" because of how many missionaries are currently serving, and how many are still shortly upcoming.

Austin Hansen should be leaving for Argentina tomorrow ( I believe ) -- I'll let you know what comes of that adventure if I hear anything.

Keep us informed of whats going on in your week -- we love to read the details about your mission work. 

Love Dad

On Mon, Jan 30, 2012 at 6:33 AM, Tracie Scott <tlsw3boys@gmail.com> wrote:

Good morning Elder Scott,

I hope the email finds you doing well.  I unfortunately have not been well!  I was doing fine on Monday and then wham!  I got the stomach bug and was super sick.  So, I did not get your package in the mail.  I had gone and got your shirts on Monday and planned on getting it sent Tuesday.  So I will now get it sent this Tuesday. 

Everything else is the same.  The pinewood derby was Saturday.  Dad did great, but he is glad it is over.  He learned how to do it better next year.  Some of the cars were so cute.  Ben Rawlings did his in the shape of a baseball bat with Rawlings on it.  Dylan Lawson did his in the shape of a block of cheese with little plastic mice on it.  I was the judge.  You could totally tell which ones Dad's did and which ones boy's did. 

So, I am sorry to hear that Victor didn't get baptized.  I hope you can continue to work with him and that he gains a testimony of tithing.  I am glad to hear you were working hard.  I bet that makes the time fly!  I hope you are feeling better and are over the cold you had.  You have been sick a lot in Bakersfield, that is not like you.  Have the other elders been sick too?

Well, I need to run and get ready for work.  I know this is short, but I spent the week recuperating, so not much to share.  President Monson shared the first presidency message in the Ensign this month.  He talks about courage and he says "Sometime courage is the little voice at the end of the day that says, "I'll try again tomorrow"."  Always have courage son.  Keep trying with Victor and those you teach.  Let the spirit guide you in what to say and teach.

I love you,
Mom 

--

Love, Elder Tyler Scott

Fwd: Re: January 16, 2012

Dear Readers,

This week has been great. We are teaching a lot more. Victor will be getting baptized on the 27th still and everything is going smooth. We are teaching a new family and getting tons of refferrals. Im doing fine with my mood and yes there is a CVS near me. Wow, you finally got released. Weird.I have dropped the ball with my journal writing, haven't wrote since before Christmas... ill try harder, and i am getting better about waking up and exercising and stuff, but not perfect yet. Other than that we do a lot of tracting now looking for more peeps to teach we only have like three investigators now that are progressing. several dropped off the face of the earth. :(

On Mon, Jan 16, 2012 at 9:45 AM, Tracie Scott <tlsw3boys@gmail.com> wrote:

Good morning Elder!

I hope you are doing well today!  I have been sick all week.  I finally got on antibiotics Saturday.  However, I am still not well enough to go skiing.  Dad and the boys went today, no school. 

Well, big news.  I was released yesterday.  I am now in Activity Days.  It will be a nice break.  It is every other Wednesday.  I am excited to work with the girls.  Phoebe just got put in the new RS presidency! 

I saw President Walker yesterday.  He said to tell you hello!  He asks about you all the time. 

So is the Jan 27th baptism still on?  How is the teaching going?  Don't get too trunky, it is way too soon for that! 

I haven't been out to shop for you shirts yet because I have been so sick.  I was literally in bed most of the week.  I missed work and everything.  But I will get them this week and get a package off to you.  We also got the new insurance cards.  Are you sure you have a CVS pharmacy near you?

So how are you doing---really?  How is your mood?  Are you trying to get up on time?  Are you trying to exercise?  What is a typical day like for you?  How is your journal writing going?  Do you need a new one yet?  Any new pictures? 

Weston and Mason are signed up for their first ACT in Feb.  Weston is slowly working on his Eagle, and I mean slowly!!!  Argh!  His headaches seem to be gone finally!  Dad is Dad.  He has been getting up every morning at 5 to go to the gym.  He has been doing it for two week now!  He is a little tired, but does feel better.  He is winning in the Biggest Loser contest so far! 

Well, I don't know what to say---you haven't given me much to reply to lately.  I pray for you daily.  I think of you a lot!  I know you are on the Lord's errand, and of that I am so proud.  I know you will become the man you are to become if you are serving the Lord with all of your heart.  Love the people, love your companion and the the rest will come easier.  President George Albert Smith said "Do not forget no matter how much you may give in money, no matter how you may desire the things of this world to make yourselves happy, your happiness will be in proportion to your charity and to your kindness and to your love of those with whom you associate here on earth.  Our Heavenly Father has said in very plain terms that he who says he loves God and does not love his brother is not truthful. (see 1 John 4:20)"

I love you son!  Keep up the good work!

Mom

--

Love, Elder Tyler Scott

Fwd: Re: January 8, 2012

Dear Readers,
This week was still pretty slow due to the plague. Elder Thomson Caught what i had on Sunday on tuesday. By Wednesday i think we were all good. One of our Investigators, Victor, has shown more progression than any of our previous. He will be baptized on the 27th. So were pretty stoked, it will be the last baptism for Elder Thomson, and my first. A month from today he will be home in Canada. Its weird being his companion, i feel more trunky than he does! Haha but were still working hard and kickin butt and takin names. Ive learned why people get so confused with the bible now haha. We also are teaching this new family who are surprisingly interested to listen to us. We went over to share a little message, and ended up teaching the whole restoration, and some background on the BoM. It was pretty cool being able to recognize the spirit as we testified of the power of prayer and earnestly seeking out the mysteries of god. Oh we found them tracting the Sunday before Christmas. So overall, we are just truckin along doing what missionaries do. And its getting easier to have a good attitude about all the crap going on the longer i am in it. ;)

On Sun, Jan 8, 2012 at 6:56 PM, Tracie Scott <tlsw3boys@gmail.com> wrote:

Hello Elder Scott,

I hope this email finds you feeling better.  Bummer that you have been sick!  I feel like I am coming down with a cold this weekend.  I have that sore throat, headache feeling starting!

Life here is the same.  The boys went back to school this week.  All jazzed about keeping straight A's.  Although they are already complaining about how hard math is!  Weston went back to swim this week.  He already started having headaches again.  We go to a new doctor tomorrow, a chiropractor that a doctor that I work with recommended.  Mason is gearing up to start in his Rugby season.  Weston is starting the process for his Eagle!  Man he needs to get it DONE!!!!  Tired of driving him around!  Both are working, but Weston not so much.  He just started back after being off for about a month, because of his headaches.

It has been pretty cold here.  Snow still hasn't melted from the first weekend in December.  We had a little snow yesterday.  Not much in the mountains, so no need to be jealous.  We haven't even been up really.  Dad has gone twice I think.  The boys only once.  It is mostly ice up there!  So....

So we all joined this Biggest Loser contest with Steve and Mary.  We each put $20 in and whoever loses the biggest percentage of weight by Feb. 14th wins.  Dad has been going to the gym every morning at 5 am!  Weston has already lost 8 pounds.  So we are all trying to watch how much we eat and to get more exercise!  Wish us luck!

Dad forwarded you the email you got from President Walker.  I hope you got it ok.  I also will send your package of shaving stuff when I get your white shirts.  I need to go get those this week sometime.  So I will most likely get it in the mail next week.  Is there anything else you need?  I will send it to the mission home.

Well, I don't have a lot to say tonight.  I am really tired from a long day.  I will leave you with a thought.  This years study is President George Albert Smith.  He was known for being exceptionally kind and being a great example of living the gospel.  He could always lighten the mood and make everyone a friend.  Truly someone to admire.  One of his quotes is "...Are you doing your duty? are we performing the labor the Lord has entrusted to our care? do we sense the responsibility that is upon us? or are we idly floating down stream, going with the tide taking it for granted that in the last day, we will be redeemed?"  "Now let us examine ourselves.  Are we doing as much as we should? And if we are not, let us turn around and do better.  If we are doing as we should, if we are reaching out in all directions to do good to the children of our Father, then we will bring to ourselves the blessing of an all wise Father, and we will rejoice in the good that we accomplish here..."

I think that is something we should ask daily---in our morning and evening prayers.  Don't idly float along.  Do as much as your should.  Reach out in all directions and do good to those around you.  Perform the labor you have been entrusted to do.  I know that if you do as President Smith suggests, you will rejoice.  You will have success.  You will experience blessings. 

I love you and I am proud of you~~Mom

--

Love, Elder Tyler Scott

Merry Christmas

Fwd: Happy Chrismuskah

Dear Family,
This Week hasnt been super eventful, all of our 5 progressing investigators have been sick and/or out of town. But by next week it is possible for us to have up to 10, because our teaching pool is getting big! We must be doing something right i guess. I will call on sunday at 230pm your time which is 130pm your time. I dont get skype. :( but my companion does, because hes international, from Canada. LAME! Oh well. We had a service project yesterday which is why i didnt email, so today is our pday. Im excited for the holidays, and to hear from you.

On Mon, Dec 19, 2011 at 9:07 AM, Bret Scott <bnscott2@gmail.com> wrote:

• Christmas and Hanukkah to Merge
  Continuing the current trend of large-scale mergers and acquisitions, it was announced today that Christmas and Hanukkah will merge. An industry source said that the deal had been in the works for about 1,300 years.
  While details were not available at press time, it is believed that the overhead cost of having twelve days of Christmas and eight days of Hanukkah was becoming prohibitive for both sides. By combining forces, spokesman say, the world will be able to enjoy consistently high-quality service during the Fifteen Days of Chrismukah, as the new holiday is being called.

Good morning Elder Tyler!
Hope your week has gone well .  We shipped you a package to the mission home at the new address in Oxnard -- it should arrive today -- so it will be there when you show up on Thursday for your meeting. 

We did not get you sunglasses -- as we felt that would be a bit of a stretch -- if you have some in mind go price them out and let us know, Mom can send your prescription so you can have them made to order. 

We've been busy preparing for the big day, can't wait to hear your voice on Sunday.  Remember we are at church between 11am - 12:10pm MT -- which is 10am - 11:10am PT for you -- you said you had church at 9 -- so if you planned to call/skype after 11:30 or so we will be ready.   We heard that there has been some rules from SLC regarding calls home, and that Skype was authorized -- if you want to do that just let use know, we'll have it up and running at that time -- my screen name is Bret_Scott.
Your package arrived the other day --- so that is safely here.  

We started counting and it should be transfers this week? I hope you are not being transferred this time around --- Let us know how your pending baptism is panning out.  We're excited for your first mission baptism.
The weather has been cold -- we've had snow on the ground for 2 weeks --- and it is supposed to snow again today.  The mountain snow is not very good yet.... <sigh>
Austin reports that he does not like the MTC much -- doesn't care for the food, struggling with the language.  I'm sure that will go better for him as he gets more comfortable.
We love you and hope this letter finds you happy and tired -- I hope you have more work than you can handle -- since I remember those times of my mission being the best.
Love Dad.

--

Love, Elder Tyler Scott

Fwd: Monday December 12

Unfortunately Maxene wont be able to be getting baptized, She has not been able to come to church at all due to her pain. She is 70 so we cut her some slack, and she broke her back in the 80's still suffering from that. She is on a lot of pain killers too, both liquid and pill morphine (multiple times a day...), soma, Valium, and to top it off she has to be on oxygen... Yikes.
   Recently she has been having a hard time walking due to the fact that her knee is grinding, lack of cartilage i think. :/ But the reason she cant be baptized is because of her use of Medical Marijuana. We had a rocky lesson but we managed to bring her around to try and get off it if she can. Hopefully she will pray and have faith sufficient. By the way Cheryl Lindsey should have sent me a Facebook request, so she want to send you some pictures. Get in contact with her.
   We are really excited for the new family we picked up they have really hit the ground running! Surinder is from Malaysia, and she isn't going to let anything stand in the way of her and her daughters getting baptized. So we are working with her. Overall things are pretty good..
   Go ahead and send the package if you want, but we have a xmas devotional on the 22nd so if it gets there before then there's a good chance i will get it. Just call the Mission office and ask them what to do. I will call your cell, just be ready, we have church at 9 but just sacrament meeting. so yah. ok bye, and yes it is a pretty sexy hat i agree.

On Mon, Dec 12, 2011 at 7:20 AM, Bret Scott <bnscott2@gmail.com> wrote:

Good morning Elder Scott --

Another week flown by like it was an hour.  Your last week's note sounded very encouraging as far as the missionary work goes.  I hope everything continues to progress as you were describing.

We are 13 days from Christmas --- and we need to work out a plan for you to call on that day.  We will have Sacrament meeting at 11am - 12:10pm ( MT ) and then will be going to be spending dinner with the Rotheys etc. so let us know what time of day you will be calling.  Perhaps its best to call one of our cell phones ( 720-810-1061, 720-300-7102 ) and then we can call you back in case you are at a members home or what not.  Find out from your companero what the best approach is and let us know.  We can't wait to talk to you.

We want to send your Christmas package -- and do not want to ship it to the mission home -- are you still leery about receiving packages at your apartment in Bakersfield?  Please advise.

Weston and Mason are in the midst of finals -- they're all stressed out.  It'll all be over in a few days then they can relax.  Hopefully it stars snowing 'cause so far it's pretty bleak up in the mountains --- not like it was last year for us at this time.   

Nothing much new to report around here ---Mom started working at another place -- she seems to like it -- it s a high-tech reproductive center where they help folks who are having struggles getting pregnant -- it should be easier work for Mom -- we'll see.   She is scheduled for another back injection next week, so that should give her some relief.  Can't wait.

Well, Elder -- we don't have much to share this week -- same o same o around here --- can't wait to hear how your week has been --- and get more of those lovely pictures.  That was quite the sexy hat you were wearing ---

Later,

Dad

--

Love, Elder Tyler Scott

Fwd: This Week

Dear Readers,

This has probably been the most successful week in this area so far. Our teaching pool has expanded to 9 investigators! Woot! Maxene our furthest progressed has a baptismal date set for Christmas Eve, it was an awesome experience watching her learn and grow and see the spirit work on her so strongly. Real testimony builder. 3 of our investigators, Surinder and her 2 daughters, that went awol a week before i got here called us up and told us they were coming to church on sunday! they asked for a script to se if they could get baptized as soon as possible. Robert a reinvestigating former is hoping to lead his family to the truth and be baptized in january! Michael and Tammy, not the most progressing but we are working with them, we will see what happens. Markeice is an 11 year old son of a less active member who wants to get baptized and sing in the choir. He will hopefully drag his mom to church with him! Our 2 newest investigators are Art (a 20ish year old and his mom and sister), the first time i met him i got the impression that i know he will be baptized and his mom has a rock solid belief in god! And las but not least, Emery, the husband of a Recent convert of about a year, who is pretty much just asking "where do i sign?" He is so ready (and he has taken the lessons before). So pretty much the work has taken off in the area and i am really enjoying it. Its even starting to wear me out... Anyways, ive been reading in Ether lately, and its amazing to me how much of a parrallel the jaredites are to modern society, scary.  

--

Love, Elder Tyler Scott