Monday, August 25, 2014

Derik's Mission Emails, Week One

Family;
I'm having a wonderful time here. I like everyone in my district. We started with twelve people in the district, and one of them decided he needed to go home on the second day. We lost another one yesterday, but he explained to us the actual reason. He had gone into the field unworthy, and knows that was wrong. So, hes going home for a while, then he promised to come back out ASAP. That one was a lot harder. We all really liked the elder, you know? I'm happy that he made the hard choice and decided to get on the right track before going out. We are losing another Elder Monday, but that only because hes going to the MTC in Spain. 
[NOTE: I'm going to just put initials for people's privacy.] The elders in my district are as follows: Me, Elder J (district Leader, really fun guy), Elder H (absolutely hilarious), Elder B (my first companion, has a lot of trouble with Spanish, doesn't understand anything anyone says to him), Elder S (ent home the 2nd day), Elder W (no idea what to tell you about him, leaving for Spain on Monday), Elder R (we call him Spock because his ears are pointed, he is really smart, and he doesn't talk much), Elder M (arrives at the joke half an hour after everyone else), Elder D (went home yesterday, great guy.), Elder B (he'sawesome, a lot like me, does a little beatboxing but he cannot sing notes :( ), Elder W2 (also a lot like me, good singer, hard worker), and Elder W2 (doesn't eat meals, eats a protein bar and a banana for breakfast, family sends him all kinds of junk food, works out way too much, doesn't really like anyone but Elder Spock). Those are/were my district, and I like them all quite a bit. They are like the brothers i have been fortunate to have the lord give me. All of them but D, W, and B are going to Reynosa on their missions. 
We got an investigator on the second day, and I taught her 4 lessons. That was really great, in the first lesson I had no idea what I was saying, but she seemed to understand me (yay for help from the spirit!). I taught her about quite a few things, and even with my companion(s) random interjections about things we had already spoken about, I think those lessons went really well. We aren't going to be teaching her anymore. She seemed sad to no longer have the opportunity to talk with us (me, because my companions Elder H and Elder B have no idea what she is saying most of the time). Elder H attempted to commit her to baptism, right after she had explained to me why she didn't want to be baptized yet, how she wasn't ready to give up her lifestyle. It was funny afterward, but I had to rephrase his words in order for it to make sense. 
yo bendice con el Don de lengues mucho en el CCM. I have been blessed with a lot of the gift of tongues the the MTC. I don't know why in Spanish it's the CCM. I can easily hold long conversations with people in Spanish. I am very grateful. I got to share my personal conversion story with my district for one of our devotionals, and the effect it had was pretty cool. It was part of the reason Elder D decided to go home.
Just in case you are wondering, I still sing all the time, and I still get to beat box. Almost my entire district loves my voice, and I sung The February song by Josh Groban to send off Elder D. There were many tears, although I managed to make it through the song without crying. He didn't know what he wanted me to sing for him, and Elder H suggested that. I think he needed to hear words of encouragement, and that song was an excellent choice for his predicament. 
To answer your question about captain crunch mom, I have not eaten cereal here but once, and it was blueberry muffin tops. I fixed the clock and it works right now. I forgot 2 things when I came here, my watch and my shaving cream. I actually have to shave every morning now! All the testosterone I'm living with helped with that.
They do keep us extremely busy here at the MTC all the time. However, I'm really glad I get to be here. I love learning Spanish (who knew it would be this easy? haha) and I am super grateful every time I get impressions (usually at least every half hour) as well as other blessings. I am really happy to be serving this mission.
I don't have much time left for writing, so in closing I want you all to know that your brother Jesus Christ, the Lord, the holy spirit, and I, all love you very much. 
Tengo una testimonia a la verdad a el Libro del Mormon. Yo se que nuesto querido padre celestial tiene amor por sus hijos. Yo se que la profeta, Presidente Monson es una profeta verdad. Yo se que Jos'e smith es la profeta de la restorracion, y es una profeta de dios. Jesucristo hace la expiacion por los hombres y tiene muchas sentimientos por los hombres. Porque no digo mucho espanol, y la computadors no tiene enye y otra letturas de espanol, es mi testimonio de el evangelio. Esto Jesucristo Vida.
I love you all,
Elder Scott

To whom it may concern: Just wanted to let you know that the MTC is amazing. I'm really glad I came. Email you all in a week.
Oh, just in case someone doesnt have it, my mailing address at the MTC is
Elder Derik Kyle Scott
SEP15 MEX-REY
2023 N 900 E Unit 811
Provo UT 84602
(Big side note from Derik's mom: I was MUCH happier with this email than the day-two email! :) )

Derik's Mission Emails, Day Two

Derik had only been gone one day when we received this funny email:

We were allowed a very short amount of time to inform our families that we are indeed alive, and I am very happy you found my watch. If you would be so kind as to send it to me, that would be very much appreciated. My P-day is thursday, so expect replies to emails then, as well as an update on my life. I'm doing very well here at the MTC. 

With Love,
Elder Scott

(As a mother who wanted to know that her boy was more than just alive but actually happy, this email left a little bit to be desired...sigh.)

Derik's Mission Letters

My boy left for his mission August 6. He's at the Provo MTC, and we're SO EXCITED AND HAPPY FOR HIM while we miss him like crazy. :) So I sat down at the computer this morning to set up a blog dedicated solely to Derik's mission so that any of you who want to can follow him; but then I thought, "Self--you already have a blog--what are you thinking?!!?" So, in the spirit of simplicity and also not causing extra work that I then probably won't maintain, this blog will be where I post Derik's mission letters. Enjoy!!!

 Talking on the phone with Jess right after he was set apart.

 Dallas airport, August 6 -- Reporting to the Provo MTC

We're going to miss you, but we're so happy for you!

:)

Monday, December 02, 2013

And keeps going...

Just for the record, we are still alive...big grin. I may even find a minute or two to post again soonish (even bigger grin)... For now we'll just leave it at: Kyle finished his second masters program, graduating in May, and he's working and serving in the bishopric, I'm teaching seminary and substitute teaching, Jessica is in her second year at the Y being her wonderful self and learning lots of life lessons, Derik is a senior and is taking mostly AP classes and doing tons of other stuff, Aubrey is a junior and is also taking mostly AP and pre-AP classes and doing tons of other stuff, Laurel is a sophomore and is ALSO taking mostly AP and pre-AP classes and doing tons of other stuff, and Eryn is in 7th grade and is busy, busy, busy being being 12, enjoying her gifted and talented classes, friends, and church... I SO enjoy my stupendous, ACTIVELY ENGAGED family!







Tuesday, October 18, 2011

Politics, Schmolitics...

I am fascinated by all the hoopla surrounding the upcoming presidential election and find myself ever mystified by what people choose to focus on instead of the real issues that affect our lives on a daily basis. Mitt Romney can't sneeze without someone telling him he's not a Christian, but nobody seems the slightest bit interested in the personal lives of the other possible candidates...

In the midst of all this political smoke screening and discussion of whether "Mormons" are Christians, I found the following blog entry to be freshly on target:

http://josephantley.com/2011/10/16/why-mormons-care-if-people-think-were-christians/

Spending my life striving my utmost to walk in my Savior's footsteps, I DO care! You go, Joseph Trevor Antley!

Here is the text, for those of you who can't access it:

QUOTE:
Why Mormons Care if People Think They’re Christians --
My last blog post received responses from a number of Evangelical Christians asking the question, “Why do Mormons care if they’re considered Christians?” This may be a fair question for those who know little about Mormonism, since Mormonism does disagree with Protestantism and especially Evangelical Protestantism on a number of doctrinal matters (and it seems that in the mind of your average Evangelical leader, Evangelicalism IS Christianity). The reason that Mormons are sensitive about people calling our religion non-Christian is not because Mormons want to be more mainstream or because Mormons are trying to develop some sort of camaraderie with Protestant churches. It isn’t because Mormons are trying to deceive people into thinking that we hold Protestant or all mainstream Christian beliefs. Mormons have been accused of all of these by some Evangelical critics. None of them are accurate. The actual reason that Mormons take issue with anyone publicly declaring that Mormonism is non-Christian or that Mormons are non-Christians is that such a declaration implies that Mormons do not believe in Christ. Mormons unabashedly declare that we believe in Jesus Christ, that he is the Son of God, and that he died for our sins, as the Bible teaches. If an Evangelical pastor declares in a public forum and on national television that Mormons are not Christians, of course we Mormons are going to take issue. Not because we desperately want to “fit in” with mainstream religion, but because when someone hears that pastor’s comments accusing our religion of being non-Christian, without any sort of clarification regarding our beliefs, they will suppose that we do not believe in Jesus (because the average person considers belief in Jesus as the actual definition of “Christian”). Mormons do not like it when people imply that we do not believe in Jesus.

Anyone who declares that Mormonism isn’t a Christian religion is a simply a spin-doctor who is attempting to poison people’s opinions regarding Mormonism. They are not interested in honesty with the public or with their parishioners. If they were, can you imagine how their comments would actually sound? “Mormons aren’t Christians, but they do believe that Jesus is the Son of God and that he died for their sins.” …WHAT? Can you imagine how their congregations would respond to that oxymoronic statement?

Faith in Christ is overwhelmingly the most important part of our religion. Referring to Mormons as “non-Christians” is simply deceptive. Mormons want people to know that we believe in Jesus Christ, and that is why Mormons care that certain people are saying otherwise.

END QUOTE