Having Our Faith Strengthened

Greetings my fellow family and friends! Another week down and another to go! I hope that all is

 well and that everyone is doing grrreat! This week was a roller coaster one for us, somewhat

 slow but overall it went well! So this week was full of meetings and excitement! So the sad news 

was that the President of the country, Michael Sata, actually passed away the previous week 

and this week was the funeral for him on Tuesday. So for us we already had meetings planned

 Tuesday and Wednesday so it definitely slowed us down a bit. I have never seen such

 silence and lack of commotion anywhere in my life like I witnessed this week.

The streets were silent and we could barely even find buses to catch to get around because everyone was inside of their homes. It was very inspiring to see how much respect that everyone had for their former President and it was declared a holiday. So Tuesday was super special as well because Sister Rawlins my former companion also went home! So she came from Malawi on Monday night and stayed the night with us and stayed with us until she caught her flight on Tuesday! It was so super duper great! She was one of my favorite companions in the world! We had so much fun and we got to catch up and it was so nice! I love her, so we got to go to our meeting Tuesday with her and that was pretty much all we did.

Wednesday on the other hand was another meeting, our zone conference. It was all of the missionaries in the city so quite a few and we were instructed on different things and lessons. One of them was probably my favorite that touched me the most by Sister Erickson when she spoke of having our strength ‘’faithened.’’ She reminded us that in this past conference one of the men who gave a prayer actually made a mistake in his prayer, which im sure was due to nervousness or other factors that contribute to stress. In his prayer he prayed that we would have our strength ‘’faithened’’ when in reality he meant to say have our faith strengthened. So she actually knew the man who gave the prayer and told us that a lot of time we do focus on strengthening our faith but, it’s not often that we focus on faithening our strength. She said that we need to add faith to our strength. We shouldn’t just depend on what WE can do alone but what WE can do WITH the Lord. We should be like Nephi in 2 Nephi 4:34. He says that he trusts on the Lord and will not trust in the arm of flesh. Us as human beings we cant do anything compared to what we can do with the Lord. It says that, ‘’.. for I know that cursed is he that putteth his trust in man or maketh flesh his arm.’’ Our Heavenly Father always expects us to use our own strength but he never expects us to do it alone. We need to rely on the Lord.

So the rest of the week was a little slow since we just focused on our two investigators Meriam and Elizabeth. I have really enjoyed teaching both of them so much. They are both very dedicated and determined people and they are growing so much every day. Sister Meriam has actually been quite sick with high BP and things of that nature so she was down this week a lot but we continued to go and encourage her and prepare her. But since there must be opposition in all things, of course we faced trials yesterday on her baptism day. The water wasn’t working and so we weren’t able to fill up the font. So sadly she wasn’t able to get baptized but it was her birthday so we did go to her home and celebrate with her and her family! It was really nice. So now we have moved her date to the same with her daughter in law so they will both be baptized the 30^th of November.

So overall things have been going well for me. Of course it never is easy and I can't say that there aren’t some days that I ready to go home, but overall it has been such a blessing to me to be here and to serve. Even though I can't see the changes always but so many others tell me that I have changed and matured a lot and sometimes I feel it. Not in a physical sense but spiritually. I feel like I regret not taking the gospel as serious before I came. I just feel like I wasted a lot of time and I didn’t realize that there was so much that I didn’t know at all. But now I see. I see things I didn’t see before. This week in my personal study I focused a lot of Alma 5 which I call the ‘’Self Accountability Checklist.’’ There are about 22 questions in this chapter that each of us and sit down and one by one ask ourselves to see how we are doing spiritually. As I studied I really focused and it made me think. Am I converted? Am I changed. One verse really stands out to me each time I read and it says, Alma 5:19, ‘’I say unto you can ye look up to God at that day with a pure heart and clean hands?’’ I say unto you can ye look up, having the image of God engraven upon your countenance. The phrase ‘’’look up’’ is very interesting isn’t it? Through further study I realized that it doesn’t mean that God is some kind of giant and we will have to look up to be able to see him but more of our image of ourselves. Will we be able to look up to God? To hold our heads high and say to God that we did all that we were supposed to do? That we gave it our all? That we are clean enough to live with him? Or will we hold our heads down in shame? Embarrassed for ourselves? Yeah. That’s deep right? But it’s true and Alma said it best. Each of us needs this mighty change of heart so that we are all clean and pure.

I know that the Atonement is real. That Jesus Christ really died for us all. If you didn’t know now you do. If anyone doesn’t know, let him show you that he is real and that he is there. I know that we have a God, a Heavenly Father who gave his only Son that he could be a ransom for us all. I know that salvation can be each and every one of ours. One day we all have the hope of living again with our God and our brother. But what would Heaven be like alone? If you are there with no one but yourself do you think that would be happiness? I'm so sure that it isn’t. I know that I won’t be able unless I am there with every person that I know and every person that I love. So I pray that everyone, my family, my friends, and everyone that I know and even those that I don’t know will test it. Try God. I know that he will show you that he is there and that he is real. He will show you the path that will lead back to him. I love you all. Like Elder Bednar said in this past conference. Come and see.

I love you all and I hope that you have a great week! I pray for you and wish you the best!

 

Love

   Sister Scott

Me and Sister Rawlins and Me headed to Zone Conference

ICE CREAM ,PICS AND NEW HAIR

The Chronicles of Zambia

Good morning and Greetings to my family and friends of all nations!
It’s such a beautiful day wouldn’t you say? This week has been one of
the busiest and craziest weeks we have had in this area. Somewhat slow
but full of action!
So this week we had a lot of activities that took up our time so we
weren’t able to really teach many people but the people that we were
able to see made it worth the while! So this week on Tuesday we had to
opportunity to go and visit with Andrew, the young disabled guy that
we have started teaching. We actually went to see him and something
quite off putting happened. I think it is well known among many of the
missionaries that the view of the church here in Zambia is sometimes
the opposite of what it should be. Many people have distorted views of
the church and there are so many rumors! Some say that we are
Satanists and that we drink blood. So when we went to see Andrew we
actually met his sister Venice and she greeted us and so of course I
was trying to be friendly and I think I opened up the floodgates. She
was asking us questions and so we started to introduce ourselves and
where we were from and she told us that she knew the church and she
hated the church. I asked her why and she said that many people told
her we were Satanists and she didn’t want to visit the church so we
shouldn’t invite her. It was very surprising and I think I was caught
off guard but it made me think of Elder Holland’s talk in the last
conference about the cost of discipleship. That is a living testimony
of our work here in Zambia. We are here to stand as disciples and oft
times we will face persecutions and we will have to stand strong and
firm in our beliefs. I think it is way easier to do it as a missionary
but I think it takes true courage to do it just in our everyday lives
as members of the church. That is something that I want to work on and
be prepared for when I go home.
So visiting with Andrew that day was such a joy. We were able to teach
him the Restoration and it was so great. He even opened up a lot and
we were able to extend to him a baptismal date for December 21 which
he accepted. He looked very happy and joyful. It’s like when we come
he finds relief. He looks very peaceful and I hope that we can find a
wheelchair for him soon so that we can bring him to church. So also
this week we had the chance to teach both Sister Meriam Nasilele and
her daughter in law Eliza. So both are on date to be baptized for the
16th and the 30th; So Sister Nasilele is doing so great! We visited
with her and taught her everything and then she had her interview and
passed so she will be getting baptized next Sunday. Her daughter in
law Eliza is also doing so great! She is such a joy to teach! She
understands everything that we teach and she always has questions
about everything and she asks the best questions! We finished teaching
her the Restoration this week and it was so powerful. She said that
she knew that it was true and that she had prayed about it and to know
if it was true as well. It was a really great feeling. She even told
us that she had a dream after we left and in the dream she was in a
garden full of animals and trees. She said that in the dream she was
collecting eggs and putting them in a basket in this garden and when
she looked she saw three people in the distance all dressed in white.
She said that they were coming towards her and she became afraid so
she turned around to go the other direction and when she went she saw
them again this time on the other side. Then she said she heard a
voice that told her that she was making the right decision. That she
was doing the right thing and then she woke up. So she said that was
her answer. I love her so much. She is so prepared and she is even due
in February to have a baby which is so exciting and great! I know that
we met her for a reason and that God was preparing her.
So the week continued in a great way until Thursday when we had to
opportunity to do a service project. Sister Nasilele was married and
her husband had begun building a house and since her husband passed
she received an eviction notice saying that she has until January to
move out. She doesn’t work and she doesn’t have a way to provide and
so we decided to help them in building the house somewhere near so
Thursday we went to this plot of land and we started to clean and
prepare for the building. It was very nice! We spent about 5 hours
doing that and we accomplished a lot and I’m hoping that we can
continue to get it done before January! And finally the highlight of
the whole week was we finally got to watch General Conference!!! Man
it was so great! So amazing and inspiring! I had many questions that
were answered and I felt very enlightened after it. I think overall I
got three themes from many of the talks. 1. Spiritual preparation 2.
Temples and preparation 3. Family History.  I felt like the prophets
are secretly telling us that Jesus is coming soon so be PREPARED. It
made me really realize that I need to work on becoming spiritually in
shape not just now but also for when I go home. Sometimes it worries
me when I think of going home so that is one thing I really want to
work on! I hope that everyone was just as inspired from Conference and
all that are LUCKY enough to receive ensigns and Liahonas  ; STUDY the
talks. Don’t take it for granted.
So overall I have been feeling mixed emotions as my mission is winding
down. I’ve been studying and all and its been very refreshing and
quite liberating. I have also been studying my patriarchal blessing a
lot too and trying to plan out my life. As I have been studying I have
had quite a lot of thoughts. In my personal study I have been reading
in Mosiah 21-24 and a lot of things came to mind as I studied about
the captivation of both King Limhi and Amla’s people. In this a part
of the Book of Mormon we learn of two groups of people who are in
bondage and how the Lord helped both of them in different ways. In the
cases of King Limhi his people were not following the Lord and due to
their past wickedness the Lord saw fit to chasten them. They were in
bondage so long that they were compelled to repent so that they could
be free. It took them a while but eventually they were freed. On the
other hand we have the people of Alma who were righteous and followed
God but as it says in Mosiah 23:21-22, ‘’Nevertheless  the Lord seeth
fit to chasten his people; yea he trieth their patience and their
faith. Nevertheless-whosoever putteth his trust in him the same shall
be lifted up at the last day. Yea and thus it was with this people.’’
When I read over these stories it really made me think about God and
the way that he works. I learned that often times we are in bondage or
difficulties. But God delivers us in different ways; Sometimes he
frees us and sometimes he just gives us the strength to make it
through. Sometimes we suffer because of our own decisions and
sometimes we suffer because he Lord sees that we are ready to grow.
Without trials we never progress and grow. There is a quote that I
read that I loved that also showed that the way that we react to our
situations is important. It says that ’’Some people are like rocks
thrown into a sea of problems. They are drowned by them. BE A CORK.
When submerged in a problem fight to be free and serve God again with
happiness.’’

I know that the trials  that we face in life are necessary for
progress. I know that my mission has been full of ups and downs, and
so it is true with life. But we must trust in God and have faith and
know with surety that he one day will rescue us and we will rest in
the kingdom with our father. I am so grateful for my family and
friends. I am so grateful that I was able to reach my 15 month mark on
mission this week. I have learned so much and grown so much as well. I
look forward to these next 3 months of continued growth. I love you
all and I hope that all of you have a great week! ALSO CONGRATS TO MY
SISTER ON THE BABY :)))

LOVE YOU
Sister Scott

Farewell to our Sister

                                              Me and sister Rametsi

                                                Farewell to sister Rametsi

                                              Dinner when the power was out

BWINO

Mulibwanji :)

Bwino. :)

Yes my dear family and friends how are you?? I hope that you are well and that everyone had a great week as we enter into a brand new month! I cant believe its November already. It seems as though time just keeps on flying by! Just like the weeks! So even though nothing big happened this week it was still a great week! So we are still teaching the same people and preparing them for baptism which i'm super excited for! Our investigators are so great. They arent even baptized and they are giving us refferals for other people which is pretty sweet! Our awesome investigator Sister Meriam Nasilele gave us a referral for her nephew Andrew this week and it was quite an experience that I wont ever forget.

   Andrew is a 30 year old young man that we went and visited this past week on Friday. When we went inside he was sitting on the bed and he told us that his aunt had told him about us and how excited he was to meet us and see us. The sad thing is that Andrew has went through so much. In February of this year he had started to have pains and sores on his legs and it started to spread and the doctors didnt know what the problem wa so they ended up amputating the leg. Just a few weeks ago the other leg was doing the same thing and so they decided they needed to amputate it as well. The thing is, he went to a different hospital and the operation didn't go as well as the first. As I sat across from him he asked if he could show me his leg and He started to unfold his pants. As he raised the leg up I honestly didn't know whether to cry or what. The doctors didn't even close up his leg at all. It is still open and you can see inside and i'm sure that it is getting infected because it also looked like it was. Man my heart was honestly broken. I felt the tears coming and I just couldn't understand how they sent him home with his leg still open at the knee. But the thing about Andrew was that he was so positive. He told us that he just wants to be close to God because he doesn't have anything else. He said that he has lived in the world and now he realizes that there is nothing out there for him. He has strong faith. He just kept telling us how happy he was that we came and how grateful he was. So now we are working on getting Andrew a wheelchair so that he can come to church. I have high hopes for him and I hope that we can do something for him that will change his life but its so great to see that he already sees that the gospel is the key.

So this week as well was great since we had a wonderful teaching opportunity with the father of the children that we have recently been baptizing. He allowed us to come and visit with him and so we decided to bring Brother Kabuyana a return missionary along with us for the visit. Brother Shonga (The father) was very prepared and had questions and things that he wanted us to answer. For him he is a devout Catholic and somewhat hesitant about the church and the gospel that we share. I think that he is scare that we are leading his family astray and so he has trouble believing the Restoration and the Prophet Joseph Smith. I guess the powerful moment that really impressed me was when Brother Kabuyana shared a pwoerful testimony about the prophet Joseph Smith. He said that No other prophet can ever compare with Joseph Smith. These days we hear of so many false prophets and people that claim to have the power of God but Joseph Smith is the only prophet that claimed to see God and Jesus Christ. He is the only one that did. Most people don't even believe that you can see God. But he did. When he said that, I felt the spirit so strong and I knew that even my own testimony was strengthen by that. Even though we didnt 100% convince him I know that the spirit touched him somewhere deep down and I have hope that one day he will see.

Honesty Im so grateful that I came on a mission. I don't even know if I had a testimony before. I knew things but I didn't really feel things. But know I know and I feel. I know that the Book of Mormon is Another Testament of Jesus Christ. It is the keystone of our religion and to our salvation. I know that God loves us and that the book is true! As i read and study each day God opens my mind more and more and I am able to see the miracles and the mysterious that he has. If I didnt convert anyone else during my time here I have definitely converted myself. The gospel is the diamond that one should never let go!

Favorite verse this week: Mosiah 14:6 ''All we like sheep have gone astray; we have turned every one his own way; and the Lord hath laid on him the iniquities of us all''

Love Sister Scott

Have a blessed week! 

INDEPENDENCE

Independence!!!!!!!

Yes we are free!

Well atleast the people of Zambia are since they celebrated 50 years of Independence this Friday. :) 

How are you my lovely family and friends?! I see and hear that you all are having way too much fun since i've been gone! I love you guys though and just know the parties must continue when I get home! 

So my week was somewhat slow but very good since we had another baptism! Yes we can definitely say that we are on fire! Baptism number 5 and we are hoping that we can keep up the hard work. So this week was very swell! We are teaching some really sweet and amazing people and i'm super excited to get them close to the waters of Mormon (Hahah). So we are still teaching our investigator Sister Nasilele and her daughter in law as well. They are both so great, unfortunately she has been very very sick this week. She suffers from high BP and also she got malaria and so she practically lost all strength. It was really sad to see. Her family as well is very impoverished yet the faith that they have is so wonderful and empowering. She is truly inspiring. This week I decided that I want to have more spiritual experiences and so I need to record those moments that I have. So everyday at the end of the day I have started writing down my little miracle or spiritual prompting that I had that day. So I had a wonderful experience this week as we visited with Sister Nasilele. She was talking to us and just explaining to us many of her struggles  that she is having. She honestly is so heartfelt and my heart just was melting as she told us of how she doesn't have anything at all. But she trusts in God. I felt prompted at that time to share with her Alma 34:41 that states that we should bear with patience our afflictions and then we can look forward to one day that we will rest. The spirit I felt was strong and I knew that everyone felt it too. I know that the spirit had brought it to my remembrance and that is something that I am so grateful for. 

Also this week on Friday was Independence day and to avoid all of the commotion we had to go in at 2pm and luckily enough it was my companions birthday as well and so we invited all of the sisters over for a braii. I t was a blast. We played South African games (which i will show you all when i return) and listened to music and ate lots and lots and lots of food! It was super fun. My companion turned 29 so she had a blast. 

Also Sunday was great since we had another baptism, number 5 of our sweet Emma. She was one of those runners before we met her haha missionaries had taught her everything in and out, had given her dates for baptism, and she always bailed. Everyone was so shocked that we got her to be baptized and I love the girl so much she is the sweetest thing ever! 

For me personally I am just trying my best to enjoy all that I can while I am here. I will be hitting 15 months soon! and starting my countdown to Christmas! I'm so grateful to be here and for everything I have learned and experienced. One thing I know is that I am one strong girl. I have learned that in and out. I have met people that have changed my life forever and made me see things I never have and I know that it was God's plan. I LOVE YOU ALLLLLL and im grateful for all that you do!!!!

2 Nephi 33:12

Love

Sister Scott