It's Really Cool to See How Much I Can Do When I Rely on the Lord to Help Me!

He's been in the MTC 6 weeks now and still doing great!

We found out he will be leaving for Panama August 21st and he is super excited to leave.

Here's what he had to say...

August 2, 2012

Hey Everyone!!!!!!!

I'm doing great!!!! Sorry I haven't been writing too much about my lessons and stuff, but they've been getting sooooo much better!!!!!! I feel pretty confident in my spanish now.  It's cool because if they throw a curve ball at me, I feel pretty confident that I can resolve their concerns and teach them what they need at that point.  For example, about a week ago we were going to teach one of our investigators, Richardo.  (They're not real investigators.  They are our teachers who pretend to be investigators they had during their missions.) Anyway, Richardo has been tough. He's been reading The Book of Mormon.  He had questions about why Nephi killed Laban and things like that, but we couldn't get him to pray to find out if The Book of Mormon was true or not. So anyway, last Friday we taught him and he opened the door and the first thing he told us was, "Elders, yo no creo. Lo siento pero yo no creo." Which means, "Elders, I don't believe, sorry but I don't believe." So he was wanting to drop us and not let us in.  But after like 10 minutes, we finally convinced him to let us teach one more lesson.  So we got in there and taught about faith. We told him that if he prayed with all the faith he had he would receive an answer. So Elder Tukia started saying something but I couldn't hear what he was saying because I was overcome by the Spirit. I had one of the strongest spiritual impressions I've ever had.  I felt so strongly that I needed to say this. So I said, "Alright, Richardo, here's what we're  going to do. You're going to pray right now if this church is true or not.  then we'll come back on Saturday and if you didn't receive an answer, we'll stop teaching you and never come back again and never bother you again.  But, you need to use all the faith you have and you have to keep using all your faith in order to receive your answer and I promise you that God will tell you that what we are teaching is true." To be honest with you, I was super surprised that I actually said that. So, Richardo agreed to it.  He prayed and it was the most heartfelt prayer I've ever heard!  The Spirit was super strong and I really felt good about the lesson .  I was a little scared because, you know, I kind of put it all on the line. But, because our teacher was pretty much gone all week, we didn't get to teach him again until yesterday.  So we got in and asked him if he received an answer and said no.  So naturally we we're crushed. But then he said, "I didn't receive an answer.  I only felt happy and peaceful." So we then taught him that that is how the Spirit testifies to us.  Through feelings of peace, joy, happiness, etc. So then he was excited and he said it was ok for us to continue teaching him.  Then at the end of the lesson he committed to come to church with us this Sunday so we were super excited!!!! Both those lessons were super good because it taught me that I need to rely on the Lord more often and the gift of tongues was definitely a big part in those lessons.  I've had so many lessons like that. It's really cool to see how much I can do when I rely on the Lord to help me!!!!

Ever since I got my call, I've been a little bitter about having to come here to the Provo MTC since you know, my house is 10 minutes away. But this last Tuesday we had a devotional and the speaker said that we are all called where we're going for a reason.  I really thought about that for a long time.  Then afterwards, during our District meeting, it was my turn to bear my testimony. I received my answer.  I'm here at this MTC, 10 minutes away from my house, so I can learn from the AMAZING elders in my district. It was super cool because I received personal revelation right in the middle of bearing my testimony!

One of our teachers, Hermano Zuzanaga, grew up in Peru and he went on his mission to Long Beach.  I told him that Nanny is from Peru and mommy is from Long Beach.  Now he talks to me all the time about it. It's really funny!

Anyway, I hope you guys are doing FANTASTIC!!!! I love you guys so much!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Love,

Scott

P.S. Remember my friend Braden? {one of his roommates from SUU that had been inactive but is now getting ready to go on a mission!} His papers should be in next Wednesday!!!! Pretty sweet right!?!?!?!