Year 1 - Letter 25 - New Orleans, LA

Una Semana buena

Hi everyone!

Life is so good!  Thanksgiving was awesome, and now we are in the Christmas season!  First off, thanksgiving.  I had PLENTY of food.  We had a Lunch appointment across lake Pontchartrain, which was awesome to go across the Pontchartrain Causeway, and had all the usual turkey, rolls, etc. from the ward mission leaders family, the Batlles.  After that, we went to the Bishops home, and had another dinner, of pretty much the same stuff.  It was fun, and we all went around the table to share what we are thankful for.  After that, it was off to work, just as usual.  We went and visited Daniel.  He is so ready to be baptized, it is crazy.  We found out that his best friend back home is LDS, and his sister is too!  He is starting to feel ready, so we have been visiting him almost every day to help him read, and practice English, which he is picking up on quite fast.

OK, this is a crazy story.  So after about three or so weeks, probably more, of not seeing our investigator Virginio and his fiance Carmen, we finally got an appointment with them!  That isn't even the crazy part though.  So we were talking to them about how they want to be married soon, and then be baptized, and Carmen said something like she was already baptized.  Elder Gillett asked in what church.  She then told us she was baptized in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.  We where totally surprised   Turns out, Carmen is one of her middle names, and she is a less active that we have tried her home several times to see if she was there, and never was!  Craziest member present lesson ever!

Dora is doing well.  We visited her again, and tried to talk with her about prophets, but Antonio, the guy she lives with, took us on a ride on the crazy train.  Ah well.  We are still just trying to help her feel welcome and feel she is a part of the ward family.

One of our less actives that the missionaries have been trying to come back to church since before Elder Gillett arrived in New Orleans came to church!  The greatest thing was, is that it was his own doing.  He invited us over one night, and we read in Alma 41.  We talked that in our sins, we cannot and will not ever be truly happy.  He really wants to change, and it is awesome that we get to be here to help him!

One cool thing at the beginning of the week was where we went out with Bishop Bustillo.  He is awesome!  He has a really sincere heart, and wants to do all he can to help others.  I think he is awesome!  He is so great, and lives in our area, so we get to work with him every few weeks.

Well, that is pretty much it for this week!  If you haven't yet, check out the Christmas campaign on Mormon.org.  It is such a great opportunity for all of us to share the true meaning of Christmas with everyone!  Us missionaries count on the work of the members!

Love you all!

Elder Scott T. Andrews

Me on my bike.

Homemade Snicker doodles from Mom and Sadie. Packaged in a Pringles can and were awesome!

Me with Carmen and Virginio.

Year 1 - Letter 24 - New Orleans, LA

Tough week, but hey, I'm fine!

Hey everyone!

This week wasn't one of our best in numbers, but hey that is not whats important.  We had a zone conference last week that talked about this.  President Wall said something that really hit home for me.  He said that someone had told him that the thing that empowers missionaries the most is to know that they are acceptable before the Lord.  It started out by having the Assistants to the president talk about working hard, and working together.  They compared it to a dog sled team, and how even though there is only one or two head dogs, the other dogs are just as important.  They all have different jobs that are essential to the success of the team.  Then we had a discussion with Sister Beckwith.  She has something to do with the missionary work in the southern States, but she is a really successful psychologist, and she talked about stress, and stress management,and also about how our thoughts control our actions.  It was really helpful.  I was getting a little stressed and didn't even know it!  Then President talked about all of it and tied it all together.  What really hit me though was when he talked about being acceptable.  I guess that my expectations of what i should be and do as a missionary where a little higher than they need to be.  He told us that numbers, in the end, aren't important.  What matters is our effort.  If we put in all the effort we can, we will be acceptable before the Lord, and we will be successful.

Well, as for the week, not too much.  Mostly we did a lot of service in helping a few families move, as well as visiting a lot of less active members, because we are updating the ward roster.  We did have the primary program though, and one of our investigators granddaughters was in it!  Dora, the investigator, wants to be baptized, but doesn't feel comfortable doing it here without her family, so we will have to help her with that, and get the ward involved.  Her granddaughter  Carlita wants to be baptized, but her parents told her she needs more experience.  We will see what we can do!

Daniel is alright.  We haven't really gotten to see him though, so he hasn't progressed much.  He knows this is what he needs to do, we just need him to feel that.

Well, that is pretty much it!  Love you all!  Thanks for all you do!

Love,
Elder Scott T. Andrews

Photos from New Orleans, LA

Elder O'Donnel and Elder Richards (East New Orleans and Chalmette - East of the Canal), Elder Gillett and Me

Our Zone.

Me with a 32 inch po-boy after doing some service.

An "Arepa" that originates from Venezuela.

"Sadie's Beauty Salon" that I see every day.

Hermano Chirinos, a less active member that we made Baliadas with. He is so funny!

The Super Dome on a foggy day.

Elder Gillett and I with Carlo, who is actually Italian, and is one of the English elders investigators that we helped.
He speaks like every language, including Spanish, and had a gorgeous home and a vineyard in Italy,
that he invited us to.  He is really cool.

Year 1 - Letter 23 - New Orleans, LA

Another Week in the Big Easy!

Hey everyone!  

Pretty good week here in New Orleans.  Had my first companion exchange this week!  It was with Elder Cardon, one of my Zone Leaders, and Elder Gillett's old companion.  He is awesome!  We both are in to classical music, so we got along pretty well.  He is a SUPER good teacher, and I learned a ton from serving with him!  One of the families I went to with him was Antonio and Dora.  She had a question about temples and work for the dead, so the time before Elder Gillett and I had talked about the spirit world, and this time we talked about temples.  Well, our half hour lesson plan took like five minutes, and they had questions about baptism.  Antonio had been baptized like twice already, so he has questions about being baptized again.  We ended up talking about how they could receive an answer for themselves, and read Alma 32:28 to about 30 or so.  The whole chapter is awesome, and I think can be used in almost any situation.  When people have questions about anything, there is a part of Preach My Gospel that tells that if someone, for instance, has a problem with the Word of Wisdom, their real question is if Joseph Smith was a real Prophet, and if he received revelation from God.  Almost every doubt can be answered by helping them understand that Joseph Smith was a true prophet, and if the Book of Mormon is the word of God.  That is where Alma 32 comes in.  Alma 32 explains how we can come to know if all of this is true.  So, Elder Cardon leaned over to me and asked if I had a scripture on faith.  We turned to Alma 32, and read a bit.  Elder Cardon then explained that we can come to church to receive answers for our questions, and promised them if they came to church with their questions, they would receive an answer.  Antonio's was if he should be baptized again, Dora's was if she should be baptized, and Carlita, their grand-daughters was not IF she should be baptized, but WHEN!  We gave her a Book of Mormon, and a chapter to read.  It was awesome to see that as Carlita was so excepting in that instance, how Dora and Antonio seemed to soften too.  The spirit is so awesome!  I don't know how we could do what we do without it. 

 

Well, Dora and Carlita came to church, but Antonio wasn't able too.  I can't wait to talk to them!

We also got one of our less actives that we work with, Roberto, to come to church.  He is awesome!  He is in his 70's or so and is very animated.  I LOVE listening to him talk.  He came to church for the first time that any of us could remember.

Well, Everyone else is doing well.  With Daniel, we are just helping him feel the spirit as he reads the Book of Mormon.  He is working like crazy though, so hasn't been able to come to church for a few weeks.  Virginio we haven't been able to talk with for awhile, and the same for Jose and Areli. 

Well, that is pretty much it for investigators.  Life is good here!  The weather is a bit cold, but still nice.  Today we saw a semi take out a street signal!  It was crazy!  Well, that is pretty much all for this week!  I love this work!  Love you all

Love,

Elder Scott T. Andrews

Year 1 - Letter 22 - New Orleans, LA

Hola Familia!

Hey everyone!

Not the best of weeks for the work, but we have those every now and then.  Halloween was fun!  We had a few Elders stay at our apartment that P-Day and had a good time carving pumpkins, and just enjoying the beautiful weather for a couple hours.  Then, as always it was back to the real fun!  Whenever i thought of missionary work before, i was always kinda worried about what it would be like.  Thank goodness we can do what we do, and enjoy it!  I love talking to all these people, and it is awesome to finally be able to understand them, and talk with them!  In this new Spanish Zone that has been created, the goal is to speak Spanish during all of our district meetings, zone meetings, and during companionship study.  It has helped be SO much.  I know that as I have been obedient to the rules and goals that we have made, the Lord has blessed me and those i serve here with!  

Investigators are doing alright.

Daniel who has a date for the 17th is feeling unsure, so we have been trying to help him.  We feel that he pretty much knows everything, but it hasn't gone from his head to his heart yet.  I know that if we can get him to really pray to know, and read the scriptures, he will come to a knowledge that what we are saying is the truth, and then he will want to be baptized, because he will know it's the right thing to do.

Dora is doing fine as well.  She had questions about the temple, so we taught her about the spirit world a bit, and will teach her about temples the next visit.  I hope that as we teach her about the work that goes on in the temple for those that have passed on, she will desire to have this for herself, and then be able to do this wonderful work for her ancestors.

New Orleans is GORGEOUS this time of year!  The weather is perfect for being outside, whether it's biking, or now, running!  I can run around a block or so now, and then i am DONE!  Ha Ha!  I just get way tired and, well, yeah.  It probably doesn't help that i never was the "runner" type.  The knee is not really a problem now though, which is another great blessing!  

One of the greatest things that I have learned here on my mission, is that as I have been obedient to President Wall, the Zone Leaders, the District President, and the leaders of the church, I have been blessed so much!  All we need to do is listen, and then do!  It isn't always what we think we should do, but as we listen to those with authority, we will always be blessed for obedience.  No exceptions!

Love you all!  Be obedient!

Love,

Elder Scott T. Andrews