Friday, December 6, 2013
December Update
December is here? Where's the snow? Mom, where's the hollyberry spiced candle that you always put near the fireplace? Why can't I hear Mariah belting out "All I Want for Christmas is You?" Wait, does that thermostat say 95 degrees? Am I sweating again?
Oh yeah, I'm in Ecuador.
And I am loving every second here.
Tuesday: Hermana Smuin and I gave each other quick, little besitos and parted ways for my first exchange (insert looming "duh duh duh" here). I took off with our lidereza (sister zone leader) to Guayacanes to watch how she worked as a missionary. I admired her dilligence and awed from afar the love that just radiates from her eyes. I learned how I can be a better missionary and determined I would apply everything I learned into my companionship. But only three hours in, I was nearly under a separation anxiety attack. Where. Is. Hermana. Smuin. We've already established that my companion is incredibly fabulous. But I did NOT know it would be so hard to be without her.
Wednesday: In the morning, I just counted down the hours until I would see her at noon. When Hermana Perez and I arrived at the chapel, I spotted Hermana Smuin down the hall and had to literally contain myself from running to her and screaming: IMISSEDYOUSOMUCHOHMYGOODNESSLE
We greeted each other with besitos and politely exchanged companions, then headed up the stairs. Finally, I looked Hermana Smuin in the eyes as we almost simultaneously said, "I missed you so muuuuuch!!!"
And for the rest of the day, I was on cloud nine.
Saturday: Whoa, It's days like these that make all of the hard, sweaty, unbearable moments so completely, wonderfully worth it.
Tania was baptized today. Hermana Smuin and I sang her favorite hymn, "I Know That My Redeemer Lives" and watched her eyes fill with tears. We watched Alejandro and Tania come up from the cold, cold water. They came up and Hermana Smuin and I slipped out to help Tania into the bathroom. While we waited in the hallway, I pulled her into a hug as we just cried together in silence. We squeezed each other tight and cried with smiles on our faces. Hermana Smuin looked at me with tears running down her cheeks and whispered, ¨"I'm just so happy".
This feeling is why we go on missions and never want to leave. We taught Tania from day one. We developed such a strong love for her, spending hours in her house teaching her, testifying to her, comforting her. To watch her come up from the baptismal waters was just...I can't even describe how pure and heavenly that feeling was.
Also, while someone was giving a nice, spiritual talk at the baptism, I was distracted when I suddenly noticed Obispo (bishop) looking straight faced at me, flaring his nostrils. So I flared mine back. Then he took it up a level and squeezed his nose down (you know, like that one scene in Princess Diaries?). I squeezed back, Determined to win this battle, he wiggled his ears at me. Dang it. Obispo, you know I can't do that. Unfair. Bah, 1 point for Obispo. Zero for Hermana Scott.
Sunday: Apparently, the entire ward found out that the mission had transfers today, that Hermana Smuin would most likely be leaving Samanes for good, after four months here. We were bombarded with hugs and squeezes and besitos, then shuffled into the hallway for pictures. What started out as an innocent picture with our new convert, Tania, turned into photo shoot with the missionaries. Hermana Smuin and I just stood there as everyone rotated in and out of pictures with ¨"Las Favoritas". Usually, I would be all emotional and nervous with everyone saying goodbyes and farewells, but I felt abnormally calm.
We went through our day normally, enjoyed church and had a delicious feast with Hermano Olaya and Pilar (the BEST - have I mentioned that I adore these people?!).
Then...
At 11:40p.m., we woke up from a call. The zone leaders. NOOOOOOOO. They only call if a companionship has transfers. Hermana Smuin answered while I rolled over and felt my heart beat in my chest. "Hermanas, thank you for your work, for all you've done...Hermana Scott, we need to talk to you." No. You can't make me! "Hola, Elders" with an obvious nervousness in my voice. "Hermana, thank you for all you've done, too....hahahaha, just kidding! You don't have transfers!"
Cruel, cruel torture.
And then a sweet sigh of relief!
Hermana Smuin and I will be together another six weeks! We have been working so hard and apparently, we have more work to do in this ward as a companionship! And I couldn't be more thrilled!
This mission is changing me. As I study from the Book of Mormon, and pray at all times, I am transforming my weaknesses into strength. I am learning that I must completely depend on my Savior to make it through with a smile on my face. I know that all things are possible with God on our side.
Watching Tania get baptized confrmed that truth to me. We trusted in Heavenly Father to help us. We had some major obstacles on our path with her to her baptism, but with faith, hope and a whole lot of prayer and fasting, we watched miracles happen.
God is so real.
And He is in the details.
With so much love,
Hermana Scott
Saturday, November 23, 2013
Saturday, November 2, 2013
Monday, October 28, 2013
10/28/13
Another adventurous week in Ecuador starts now.
Tuesday: Hermana Smuin and I finished a lesson a lot later than we intended. We are supposed to be in the house at 8:30 because a lot of robberies happen at night, but if we're teaching a lesson, we can stroll in at 9:00. Well, it was 9:10 and we were only halfway home. While chatting with Hermana Smuin, I felt a pit in my stomach and the Spirit whispered to me, ¨You're not safe¨. I swung my backpack around my shoulder and pulled out my wallet to stick it into my shirt where it would be safe if someone grabbed my backpack. As the truck passed us and slowly rolled to a stop, a pit formed in my stomach. I turned to Hermana Smuin and said very calmly, ¨We're not safe¨. A look of horror struck her face and I said to her, ¨RUN¨. Immediately, we took off running through the parks. I heard the truck speed up to catch us while we dodged trees and swingsets through the dusty streets. After running through two parks, we stopped at a street where a group of adults were chatting. I looked to my left to see the truck waiting for us at the end of the street. In a moment of panic, I looked around and realized we were at the street of Bryan Mendoza, a 17 year old in our ward who is our good friend. We quickly walked to his house, trying to appear somewhat normal to the group of adults staring at us. We buzzed his doorbell and asked if he could walk us home. When he walked through the door to meet us, a wave of peace washed through me. The priesthood was with us and we were safe.
In that moment, the Spirit witnessed to me that the priesthood power is very real and powerful. The Spirit also showed me that God protects His missionaries. The Spirit was with me through this entire experience and I reacted so calmly. I scream when someone pops out from a corner. The fact that I responded so calmly to this whole situation shows that the Lord is with the missionaries at all times. And I am so grateful for the priesthood.
Wednesday: Today, Hermana Silvia Moscoso came home from her mission in Cochabomba, Bolivia. We attended her little bienvenida meeting and watched her cry as she played with her name tag in her hands. She had been released from her calling as a full-time missionary and you could see the sadness in her eyes. The nametag was taken off her chest and she was left to clutch it in her hands as she hugged the family and talked about adventures from her mission. That moment seems so far away from me. Really, it is. It's a whole 17 months away from me. But this first month has absolutely flown by. And I'm just grateful I get another 17 months here as a missionary.
Even if that means sweating every day.
Sweating a lot.
But really, the heat is getting cray cray.
Thursday: Hermana Smuin tripped over air while walking in the street today and what came out of her mouth? ¨Poopy poopy gumdrops¨. Hahaha, I love that woman! While Tania had her baptismal interview, I did my best to entertain Tayra and Gianni in the chapel. Hermana Smuin gave Gianni a sucker and he was good to go...until he started touching every single thing in sight with his red, sticky hands. I let Tayra braid my hair, which felt more like someone yanking my head around, and the Elders arrived to interview Tayra. I told Tayra it was her turn for the interview and she clutched my arm and cuddled up to me. She was scared of the Elders, haha. It totally makes sense. She shows up at the chapel and she is supposed to have an interview with big, tall, official-looking men in suits? No way, Jose. She was not havin' it. We coached her through the process and told her that she would see our faces right outside the door, and finally, we went in. She came out of that interview ready to conquer the world and get baptized. It was so darling! She was so, so excited for her baptism. I knelt down on the ground and hugged her with a big ¨Felicidades, Tayra!!¨
Friday: Tayra was baptized! Watching her come up from the water was so calming and just...awesome. Hermana Smuin and I sang ¨Abide With Me, Tis Eventide¨ at her baptism and we sang it right to her.
Life is wonderful.
#blessed
I've got to run! But I love you all and I thank you for your support and prayers! By praying with all my heart and truly searching the scriptures, my testimony that this gospel is true grows immensely every day.
God lives.
He loves you.
With a nice watch tan and a smile,
Hermana Scott
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)