Tuesday, October 29, 2013

Year 2 - Letter 22 - Baton Rouge, LA

Ether 12:27 And if men come unto me I will show unto them their weakness. I give unto men weakness that they may be humble; and my grace is sufficient for all men that humble themselves before me; for if they humble themselves before me, and have faith in me, then will I make weak things become strong unto them.

Hey Everyone!

So, transfers are here again... I am staying here in the land of milk and honey with out price, aka south Baton Rouge Spanish.  Elder Drollinger is going to leave though.  That is sad.  He is an awesome missionary.  It has been an awesome opportunity to watch him grow.  He he will do loads for the kingdom of God wherever he goes.  Other news is that I'm our districts next District leader.  I know that I will be fine, and that the Lord qualifies he whom He calls.  Oh, and I might be finishing someones training.  President Wall doesn't know for sure yet, so we shall see.

Well, this week was crazy!  It all started out with carving pumpkins as a district.  That was sweet. Me and Elder Drollinger carved a dragon.  It was awesome!  In the picture is our temporary district.  Right to left is Sister Ogden, who is the remaining sister from LSU, because her companion went back to Temple Square.  Next is Sister Burns, who is staying in the district this transfer.  Next is Sister Judd, who came the same time as Elder Drollinger, but is a visa waiter, who is now in Argentina.  Next is Elder O'Donnell, our district leader, he is going to be a zone leader, but we don't know where.  Next is Elder McCutcheon, who has been out a transfer longer than Elder Drollinger, and is going to train this transfer.  All the hispanics can't say his name, and so they call him Elder Mapache, which means raccoon.  Then its Elder Drollinger and me.  We had a blast.  Oh, and thanks for the knit tie Sadie!  I love it!  I have it on in that pic.

Well, after that, we had a good lesson with David about tithing and fasting.  His dad has to get his visa renewed otherwise they have to leave, so we offered that we could fast for help.  We did and his dad has a court date, so that should be good.  They are a hard working, functional family, so they should be fine.  

This week we went on exchanges with the Zone Leaders!  That was fun!  I went to LSU with Elder Howard.  The first night, we went to the Temple, and helped out with baptisms for the YSA ward.  Then we went straight to a former investigators home.  His name is Kevin Marshall.  That lesson changed my life.  We talked with him to get to know him.  He is getting ready to leave the National Guard here in a few months.  He did a ten month tour in afghanistan.  He said that was crazy.  He then talked about how before he had visited with the missionaries, and how he had been searching for truth.  We read with him in Moroni 10:3-5 and shared with him that what we have to share is the truth, and that he could know for himself.  We then asked him if he would be baptized when he knew that it was true, and he said that he would.  Such a powerful lesson.  The spirit was so strong, and everything just felt right.  Exchange miracles.  They happen.

The next day we went to help Elder Brockbank and Elder Sergeant go get a new tire because they had a flat. Elder Brockbank has diabetes as well, and we have served around each other quite a bit and so it is always fun to talk about diabetes, because we understand each other.  We had fun joking with Elder Howard and Elder Sergeant that we weren't the minority anymore, since there were two of us with and two of us without diabetes.  

We all went to dollar lunch (which is exactly what it sounds like) at the institute building. Brother Bonham, who is also the high counselor for the Spanish Branch and speaks Spanish,  is the institute teacher.  He is awesome.  It was good to see him.  We had breakfast for lunch.

Well, when we finished the exchange, we went to Lauriano's home.  He lives with Blas. Anyways, we had an awesome lesson with him.  We read in Alma 32 about faith, and committed him to be baptized on the 23rd.  It was sweet.  Awesome spirit there.

In my studies this morning, I studied about how the Lord uses us, as imperfect as we are, so bring about miracles.  I know that as I do all I can to keep the work moving forward, the Lord will make up for what I lack.  I love you all!  Thanks for everything!

Love,
Elder Scott Turner Andrews 




  

Monday, October 21, 2013

Year 2 - Letter 21 - Baton Rouge, LA

Isaiah 40:31

Hey everyone!

We had a solid week!  Life is great!

We had exchanges this week with Elder O'Donnell and Elder McCutcheon.  I went with Elder O'Donnell in his area in the north part of Baton Rouge.  We had a blast!  We started the exchange out by going and visiting Walter and Alma.  Alma is a member that has been returning to activity and Walter is super interested.  they are about to have a little baby girl whom they are going to name Rachel.  They are working on getting marriage papers, but are having trouble with that.  We went in wanting to make sure that Walter was not only doing all that he was for his coming baby girl.  It went really well.  He told us that he wants to know for himself that the church is true, just like we know.  That was pretty sweet. 

The next day, it was back to the south for our Zone Conference.  It was awesome!  We talked a lot about hope.  Our main job is to spread hope to other people.  It was really cool!  President Wall shared a lot of stuff about what hope was.  He started out by explaining what happens when people loose hope.   He used Alma 57:12.
12 And it came to pass that not many days had passed away before the Lamanites began to lose all hopes of succor; therefore they yielded up the city unto our hands; and thus we had accomplished our designs in obtaining the city Cumeni.

When people lose hope, they give up.  Our job is to help them keep going!  He then shared Doctrine and Covenants 124:18.
 18 And again, I say unto you that it is my will that my servant Lyman Wight should continue in preaching for Zion, in the spirit of meekness, confessing me before the world; and I will bear him up as on eagles’ wings; and he shall beget glory and honor to himself and unto my name.
and Isaiah 40:31 
31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
I love these scriptures!  President Wall then explained how we are Eagles.  He then showed a clip from Lord of the Rings, from when Frodo and Sam are stranded in the middle of the lava after destroying the ring, and how they were rescued from of the rocks by eagles with Gandalf.  He told us that sometimes we are Frodo and Sam, but as missionaries and members of the church, WE ARE EAGLES!  We can help give people the hope they are looking for.

He then talked about Derek Richmond.  In the Olympic in Barcelona, Derek Richmond was the predicted winner.  In the middle of his race, however, he tore his hamstring.  He limped forward, and fell.  Instead of quitting, he got up and kept limping forward.  Eventually, his dad, after evading the security, made it to the track, where he gave his son a shoulder to lean on, and helped him finish the race.  The video is very moving.  President talked about how there are people out there who are limping on the track or have given up completely.  We can be the help that they need!  We can be there to give them hope.  We can be an answer to there prayers.  

After that, we talked about the things that might be holding us back from giving hope.  We then listened to Andy Andrews talking about burning the boats.  Burn the Boats!  It talked about Cortez, and how in order to take the Aztec treasure, he had to have men that were committed.  So upon their arrival in the Yucatan, they practiced.  A lot!  Then, upon the set day of the attack, Cortez told them to Burn the Boats.  If they were to return, they would return in their boats.  Look it up.  It is an amazing story.  Anyways, in our lives, we have boats that are just sitting there, keeping us back.  Giving us a way out.  An excuse.  We need to burn our boats.  So, in order to burn our boats, we were instructed how to fold boats, and then we went outside and burned them.  I included some pics of that.  The first one is President Wall with my boat in his hand. I was the second.  It was a super cool idea.



Well, after that, me and Elder O'Donnell went out to give hope to the people of North Baton Rouge.  It was awesome!  We talked to Dorotea, who is a less active who hasn't come to church for a long time.  She said that she didn't want to come to church because she felt guilty that she wasn't married to the man she lives with, and didn't want to be a bad example.  I felt prompted to share 3 Nephi 18 which talks about how all are welcome in the church and none shall be cast out of our midsts.  It was a sweet lesson, and we also got her to commit to talking to her "esposo" about getting married, so that was sweet.  She also made us an awesome Lentil soup and Chicharron, which is pig skin.  It was interesting.  It had a green sauce all over it that made it pretty good.  Weird chewy texture though.
  
Back in the south, we had a good lesson with the Murillos, and committed them to come to church.  They came and said that they had an awesome experience.  What was even better is that they came early and were able to partake of the sacrament.  So awesome!  

Roberto Wilkerson, our less active friend, relapsed.  We are going to help him keep going though, so it is OK.  We are here to help him and give him hope.  

We also helped one of this neighbors putty some holes on a ramada so he can paint it and make it look better.  That was fun!

David is in an interesting situation.  Their visa is about to expire, and so they are working on renewing it, or they might be deported.  We are just praying and fasting for him that all will work out.  Otherwise, he is keeping commitments, and doing well.

Elder Drollinger and McCutcheon taught Ramon this week!  He has problems with authority, but says that he wants to be Mormon, so we will see how things go.  

The Sisters had a baptism this week for Esmeralda Lugo.  I have taught her in English class a few times, so that was neat to see her make that step.  I gave the talk on the Holy Ghost.  It was my first talk that I had just an outline and my scriptures, but I felt the spirit as I talked and it went well.  I even made her a pen that had a little paper on the inside that said that "the spirit is with you" because I used this object lesson that I love.  You take the ink out of a pen and that is the Holy Ghost.  We are the pen casing.  Before baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost, the spirit can touch us to help guide us.  That was demonstrated by touching the casing with the ink.  After baptism, and receiving the Holy Ghost, the ink goes inside the pen casing, and is always with us.  It is a great lesson.  

Well, that was pretty much my week!  I love you all!  Thanks for everything!

Love,
Elder Scott Turner Andrews 

Second Year - Letter 21 - Baton Rouge, LA

Isaiah 40:31 

Hey everyone!

We had a solid week!  Life is great!

We had exchanges this week with Elder O'Donnell and Elder McCutcheon.  I went with Elder O'Donnell in his area in the north part of Baton Rouge.  We had a blast!  We started the exchange out by going and visiting Walter and Alma.  Alma is a member that has been returning to activity and Walter is super interested.  they are about to have a little baby girl whom they are going to name Rachel.  They are working on getting marriage papers, but are having trouble with that.  We went in wanting to make sure that Walter was not only doing all that he was for his coming baby girl.  It went really well.  He told us that he wants to know for himself that the church is true, just like we know.  That was pretty sweet.  

The next day, it was back to the south for our Zone Conference.  It was awesome!  We talked a lot about hope.  Our main job is to spread hope to other people.  It was really cool!  President Wall shared a lot of stuff about what hope was.  He started out by explaining what happens when people loose hope.   He used Alma 57:12.
12 And it came to pass that not many days had passed away before the Lamanites began to lose all hopes of succor; therefore they yielded up the city unto our hands; and thus we had accomplished our designs in obtaining the city Cumeni.

When people lose hope, they give up.  Our job is to help them keep going!  He then shared Doctrine and Covenants 124:18.
 18 And again, I say unto you that it is my will that my servant Lyman Wight should continue in preaching for Zion, in the spirit of meekness, confessing me before the world; and I will bear him up as on eagles’ wings; and he shall beget glory and honor to himself and unto my name.
and Isaiah 40:31
31 But they that wait upon the Lord shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
I love these scriptures!  President Wall then explained how we are Eagles.  He then showed a clip from Lord of the Rings, from when Frodo and Sam are stranded in the middle of the lava after destroying the ring, and how they were rescued from of the rocks by eagles with Gandalf.  He told us that sometimes we are Frodo and Sam, but as missionaries and members of the church, WE ARE EAGLES!  We can help give people the hope they are looking for.

He then talked about Derek Richmond.  In the Olympic in Barcelona, Derek Richmond was the predicted winner.  In the middle of his race, however, he tore his hamstring.  He limped forward, and fell.  Instead of quitting, he got up and kept limping forward.  Eventually, his dad, after evading the security, made it to the track, where he gave his son a shoulder to lean on, and helped him finish the race.  The video is very moving.  President talked about how there are people out there who are limping on the track or have given up completely.  We can be the help that they need!  We can be there to give them hope.  We can be an answer to there prayers.
After that, we talked about the things that might be holding us back from giving hope.  We then listened to Andy Andrews talking about burning the boats.  Burn the Boats!  It talked about Cortez, and how in order to take the Aztec treasure, he had to have men that were committed.  So upon their arrival in the Yucatan, they practiced.  A lot!  Then, upon the set day of the attack, Cortez told them to Burn the Boats.  If they were to return, they would return in their boats.  Look it up.  It is an amazing story.  Anyways, in our lives, we have boats that are just sitting there, keeping us back.  Giving us a way out.  An excuse.  We need to burn our boats.  So, in order to burn our boats, we were instructed how to fold boats, and then we went outside and burned them.  I included some pics of that.  The first one is President Wall with my boat in his hand. I was the second.  It was a super cool idea.




Well, after that, me and Elder O'Donnell went out to give hope to the people of North Baton Rouge.  It was awesome!  We talked to Dorotea, who is a less active who hasn't come to church for a long time.  She said that she didn't want to come to church because she felt guilty that she wasn't married to the man she lives with, and didn't want to be a bad example.  I felt prompted to share 3 Nephi 18 which talks about how all are welcome in the church and none shall be cast out of our midsts.  It was a sweet lesson, and we also got her to commit to talking to her "esposo" about getting married, so that was sweet.  She also made us an awesome Lentil soup and Chicharron, which is pig skin.  It was interesting.  It had a green sauce all over it that made it pretty good.  Weird chewy texture though.  

Back in the south, we had a good lesson with the Murillos, and committed them to come to church.  They came and said that they had an awesome experience.  What was even better is that they came early and were able to partake of the sacrament.  So awesome!
 
Roberto Wilkerson, our less active friend, relapsed.  We are going to help him keep going though, so it is OK.  We are here to help him and give him hope.  

We also helped one of this neighbors putty some holes on a ramada so he can paint it and make it look better.  That was fun!

David is in an interesting situation.  Their visa is about to expire, and so they are working on renewing it, or they might be deported.  We are just praying and fasting for him that all will work out.  Otherwise, he is keeping commitments, and doing well.

Elder Drollinger and McCutcheon taught Ramon this week!  He has problems with authority, but says that he wants to be Mormon, so we will see how things go. 

The Sisters had a baptism this week for Esmeralda Lugo.  I have taught her in English class a few times, so that was neat to see her make that step.  I gave the talk on the Holy Ghost.  It was my first talk that I had just an outline and my scriptures, but I felt the spirit as I talked and it went well.  I even made her a pen that had a little paper on the inside that said that "the spirit is with you" because I used this object lesson that I love.  You take the ink out of a pen and that is the Holy Ghost.  We are the pen casing.  Before baptism and the Gift of the Holy Ghost, the spirit can touch us to help guide us.  That was demonstrated by touching the casing with the ink.  After baptism, and receiving the Holy Ghost, the ink goes inside the pen casing, and is always with us.  It is a great lesson.  

Well, that was pretty much my week!  I love you all!  Thanks for everything!


Love,
Elder Scott Turner Andrews 

Monday, October 14, 2013

Year 2 - Letter 20 - Baton Rouge, LA

Ether 2:24-25

Hey Everyone!

Well, this week was definitely a tough one.  I don't think that I have ever been more tired in my life! We did a lot of biking and trying to see people and have appointments fall through.  I am doing OK though.  We talked with some really cool people this last week.

One of those was Ramon, and his daughter in law Jasmine.  His son, her husband, is waiting to be deported, which is kind of sad.  They both said that they really want to study with us though.  Ramon had some questions about baptism, and so we read in Moroni 8, and he said that he remembered Moroni from when he talked with missionaries a couple years back, and also 9 years ago back in Honduras.  We are excited to start studying with him!

Another good thing that happened was we finally found the Murillos again!  They are a less active family and they had told us they were going to move and that they would tell us when, but they never told us.  So now, about a transfer later, we found them again and had an awesome lesson.  They randomly brought up temples and so Elder Drollinger asked if they had ever been in the temple, which they said that they hadn't.  I then asked if that was something they wanted to do.  They said it was, but didn't really know how to get there.  I was able to testify of the blessing of the temple in my life, and how I know that my family will be together forever, and that they could have the same.  We then made the connection that if they want to go to the temple, they will have to go to church, pay tithing, and keep all of the other commandments.  They hadn't really made that connection yet.  I am so excited to really help get to the temple.

Roberto Wilkerson has been smoke free for three days!  We are just cheering him on!  His daughter is going to be baptized on November 2.  If he keeps making good decisions, it would be awesome to have him baptize his own daughter.  

I finished reading the Book of Mormon today!  We had a goal to read it in 60 days because today is the opening day of the Book of Mormon play in New Orleans.  It has been awesome to read over it and get a good grasp of the story.  It has been awhile!  I know that the Book of Mormon is true!  I know that if we will use it, it will help guide us like the Liahona was a guide to Lehi in the desert.  

One cool thing that Elder O'Donnell shared in District Meeting was in Ether 2:24-25. 
24 For behold, ye shall be as a whale in the midst of the sea; for the mountain waves shall dash upon you. Nevertheless, I will bring you up again out of the depths of the sea; for the winds have gone forth out of my mouth, and also the rains and the floods have I sent forth.
 25 And behold, I prepare you against these things; for ye cannot cross this great deep save I prepare you against the waves of the sea, and the winds which have gone forth, and the floods which shall come. Therefore what will ye that I should prepare for you that ye may have light when ye are swallowed up in the depths of the sea?

I love how it says in verse 24 that " the winds have gone forth out of my mouth, and also the rains and the floods have I sent forth."  God sends us the storms in our life.  However they are sent so that by them, we may be strengthened and return to Him.  I also feel that the he asked us the question in verse 25 before we came to earth. "what will ye that I should prepare for you that ye may have light when ye are swallowed up in the depths?"  I know that our Heavenly Father has given us what we need to get through the trials that we experience during our sojourn in mortality.  

I love you all!  Thanks for everything!

Love,
Elder Scott Turner Andrews 

Monday, October 7, 2013

Year 2 - Letter 19 - Baton Rouge, LA

Helaman 10: 11-12

Hey everyone!
What a fantastic General Conference!  I can not wait to study the talks more in the weeks to come!  I know that they Lord is hastening his work, and what a privilege we all have to be a part of it!  
Well, this week has been awesome!  Every Monday, we have two dinner appointments.  We have Brother Shute who is a saint.  He bakes like 45 loaves of bread a week, and gives them all away for free.  He has done that for 32 years.  We did the math, and that comes out to around 75,000 loaves of bread, and around 100,000 dollars worth of supplies.  Needless to say, he is incredible.  We then go to Family Home Evening that is usually at Felipe's (our Elders Quorum President) apartment.  the branch is so supportive of us, and it is awesome.  We usually get a pretty good turnout there.  
Tuesday-Thursday I was on exchanges with Elder McCutcheon, who is from Las Vegas and has been out for three-ish months.  We had a blast.
Tuesday we went and saw Blas.  He is taking his Antibiotics now, so that is good.  We are going to help him translate again today.  He said that the doctors are saying that they are probably going to have to operate again.  We taught him the Restoration using cups stacked up to represent Christ's church.  The bottom four cups have written on them: Prophets, Revelation and Scriptures, Priesthood, and Apostles.  The next three cups have: faith, repentance, baptism.  The next two have: gift of the Holy Ghost, and endure to the end.  The last cup has Jesus Christ.  so we went through the restoration adding the cups as you talked about them, and then briefly explained the Doctrine of Christ.  Lastly you put Jesus Christ on top, and explain that the pyramid you have is what the church of Christ had when it was upon the earth.  You then explain that after Christ ascended into heaven, the church was still on the earth.  Next you explain how the apostles where eventually killed off, and take the apostles cup out from the bottom and most of the tower falls.  You then take the Prophet cup as well, and another chunk of the tower falls.  Lastly, you explain that without Prophets and Apostles, you don't have the priesthood either, so you take that cup, and the only cup left standing is the Scriptures.  Next you talk about how other churches came and took pieces of the true church, and made their own churches, but that those churches didn't have the fullness of the Gospel.  Lastly, you teach the restoration, and gradually build up the tower again.  It was a great lesson, and Blas understood it, but didn't really accept it, which was a little sad.  We are planning on just sticking with him.  He said that he hasn't read in the Book of Mormon, so Elder Drollinger yesterday said that if he read 10 pages in the Book of Mormon, we could help him translate.  He said he would.  We are planning on studying with him a bit in the waiting room today.
We also did a lot of contacting Tuesday.  We met this one guy names Thomas Ray. He had bought a van from a friend that bought it from a police auction.  It had 30,000 miles and only a few bullet holes :P.  It was from New Orleans.  Don't worry mom : ).  Anyways, Thomas Ray was super cool.  It was really like a King Lamoni experience for me.  When we talked to him, he was talking about our potential to become like God, and a lot of our other beliefs, just saying it in ways that were different from what we use in the church.  Kind of how King Lamoni didn't know who God was, but believed in the Great Spirit.  He has read a lot of religions' books.  And when I say a lot, I mean a lot.  He has read everything from the Qu'ran to Dianetics (which he said was pretty far out).  He said that he has always wanted to read the Book of Mormon and so we gave him one, and testified that he could know if it was true.  He was super cool and I can't wait to talk to him more.
Wednesday, we went and saw David, and read a talk by Thomas S Monson, entitled Choose You this Day.  He was distracted by people coming in and out which was kind of hard, but otherwise it went really well.  He wasn't able to make it to conference, which was a bummer.  We are going to have to move his date back.  It is all for the better though.  We are planning on having a sit down with his dad and making sure that he understands the decisions that David is making, and ask for his support.  That should go really well.  His dad has talked with missionaries before, so he knows more or less what is going on.  
We also contacted this lady named Sylvia who was buzzed.  She wrote her contact information in my journal like this:
8259 SKySAiL
5 Sylvia JONES
My
     Child
DaNiEllE Young
Car
LSU Ext Office
805 St Louie St.
Baton Rouge
Job
It was a very interesting contact. 
Thursday, we went to the Wilkersons, and taught Johanna again about being baptized, and what that meant.  It was a very good lesson.  That home has changed drastically in the time I have been here.  That has been so awesome to see.
Saturday and Sunday were awesome!  I thought conference was spectacular.  I really can't wait to study the talks more in depth.  I loved President Monson's talk in the Sunday Morning session.  It was really from the heart, and I felt the spirit super strong as he talked.  I loved the Choir singing "Oh Divine Redeemer" as well.  So powerful!
Well, it has been a great week!  I love you all!  Thanks for everything!
Love,
Elder Scott Turner Andrews