The Best Way to Spend A 21st Birthday Coming Up!!!

Okay! I have so many wonderful things to say, and not much time to say them. 

First of all. 18 months isn´t long enough. Second of all...how is it almost December? That means I have been out almost 4 months....and that is a crazy scary thought. Also, its not cold here. Its a very odd thing. 

So yesterday was incredible. We hit 51 in assistencia in Sacrament Meeting yesterday! We just keep growing! Also...my companion and I are looking forward to this Saturday...along with several others...because there will be two baptisms. Two very precious souls are going to have one of the best experiences of their lives. We have had such an incredible experience teaching both of them...I know that they are ready. I have learned so much about the love that Heavenly Father and the Savior has for their family...I can feel it too. When we had an activity on Saturday, listening to one of them talk about how ¨This church answers all the questions that no other church could.¨ And that's true! It was such a beautiful thing to hear, because every day, that is something I am learning more and more about for myself. So, I will have the best birthday ever, because after the baptism, there is going to be a big, ¨Welcome Home!¨ for the first returned missionary of Las Tablas, Hna. Lanza! There will be music, comida, and lots of happy things. I am so excited about the work here...We are doing so much with the members, and its making an incredible difference. 

Also, Hna. Rodas, Hna. Holland, Hna. Maldonado and I are got to meet the sister of Maria, a friend of my aunt and uncle. We have missionary district meetings every Tuesday morning in Chitre, at the church. We called Maria´s sister Sunday, to say we had a book and some pictures for her, and she was excited to meet us. We asked her where we could meet with her, and it turns out, she lives really close to the church! She came, and we showed her the church, asked a little bit about her family, and later went to her house and taught a lesson. The Spirit was so strong in the lesson...I am not sure how things are going with her right now, because she is in Hna. Holland and Hna. Maldonado´s area...but I will hear more tomorrow! The work is great, and I love that I have the opportunity to do all that I can to invite others to come unto Christ. 

Well, I am running out of time...but I hope every one is doing well. Eat lots of food for me! 

I say it every week, but I truly love this work. I love my Savior and my Heavenly Father, and I am grateful for the opportunity to bare my testimony of this each and every day. 

Hna. Scott 

 Hermana Scott and Herman Lopez

My baby wishing us all a Happy American Traditional Holiday!

First Choir Presentation of 'Scripture Power' - Piano Lessons - Becoming closer and closer to Christ - Week of 11/18/13

Every week I feel like I couldn´t be happier, couldn´t learn more, couldn´t feel more. But the Lord proves me wrong every time. I love what I am doing! Sometimes I don´t have the best day...sometimes I totally blank in a lesson, and don´t know what to say...but its such an amazing experience. I love where I am. I am learning more about doing the work of the Lord and not focusing on myself. 

One beautiful thing...we had our first choir presentation EVER in Las Tablas yesterday! Maybe half the choir stayed in their seats because they were too nervous, maybe they started off nearly silent...but it was such a happy experience. They were all smiling, happy, and the congregation kept saying how beautiful it was afterwards...of course it wasn´t perfect. Of course this missionary kept messing up chords on our dusty keyboard. Obviously we didn´t have anything but accidental crescendos...but it was in fact beautiful. The Spirit was so strong, and after church, every one was asking what our next song would be, and the members of the choir were nearly jumping up and down, saying, "We did it! We did it!" Music is such a powerful way to share your feelings, and express praise to the Lord...I am so happy that we have begun the process of really implementing music here in this branch. Our piano class is still doing really well, and I love our students. Its amazing when one of them marches up to the keyboard and plays a song with minimal mistakes, and the look on their face when they have realized it was them that produced that sound...its a blessing to witness. 

We have realized our work here in largely working with less active members of the church. Yesterday we had five! It was so cool to see everyone hugging each other, smiling and laughing, welcoming back siblings that have been missed. The way I felt I imagine was the tiniest portion of how our Heavenly Father and Savior feel when they see us strive to become closer to Them. That truly is a lifetime goal. Become closer to Christ, and help those around you do the same. A friend once told me that its important to stand on solid ground before you can help pull someone out of the hole. Strive, and in the process of striving, share your light with those around you. Love, share, be charitable...reach out to those who can´t quite walk on your own. If you need help, take the help of those around you...lean on the Savior. Pray in His name, asking for guidance and peace. I promise as you do so in faith, you will feel His arms around you, encouraging you to go on. He only wants happiness for you, He and our Father in Heaven don´t want to see us struggle...I know that when our pathway is centered on Christ, we are more at peace and can better see the road ahead. 

Thank you for being there...Mom, thank for you teaching us the basic principles of following Christ at a young age. Thanks primary leaders for teaching me Scripture Power (the song we sang yesterday) that still influences my footsteps today. Remember, little actions turn into your pathway through life. 

I love you all! Have an amazing week! 

Con amor,

She didn't attach an explanation of this picture, but missionaries perform service wherever needed. Tile work of some sort maybe? ;)

This week...Short letter with some Panama experiences! Week of 11/11/13

I didn´t have much time today, but I want to share a scripture. Mosiah 4:27: ¨And see that all these things are done in wisdom and order; for it is not requisite that a man should run faster than he has strength. And again, it is expedient that that he should be diligent, that thereby he might win the prize; therefore, all things must be done in order.¨ This scripture teaches us to have patience with ourselves...its definitely something I struggle with. We must work, but work with diligence, and in pace with our capabilities, pushing ourselves enough everyday that we can be a little bit better every day, but not so much that your goal seems impossible. With smaller goals comes the accomplishment of a larger goal. You can do it!

I love you guys! Enjoy the pictures! I will try to write more next week. Thank you so much for your support and prayers...I can feel them with every step.

Con amor,

Hna. Scott

First, our piano class! This is such an awesome part of my every week.

                                        Second, One of those long walks down beautiful roads.

                              It is so pretty here. This is out the back door at a member´s home.                                                                                                  

Part of the festivities this week. It was Independence for all! Literally, I think people were off work maybe four days. Lots of parades and cool things. Just look up November 8: Las Tablas. :)

A girl in ¨el tipico¨, the traditional clothing of Panama. Way expensive. The cool things in her hair? Tembleces. I have worn some! 

Through Trials and Faith - Week of 11-14-2013

So I have been having crazy adventures with the internet. Because it is a holiday here, everything is closed. EEk! So, we had to make some phone calls, and find some computers, And here we are. 

First of all, I have a quote from a really cool apostle of the Lord by the name of Dieter F. Uchtdorf, ''...with Christ, darkness cannot succeed. Darkness will not gain victory over the light of Christ...even after the darkest night, the Savior of the world will lead you to a gradual, sweet, and bright dawn that will assuredly rise within you{'. Every week that I am here, I learn more and more about how true that statement is. Sometimes, we all face hard days. It sometimes seems impossible to shake your head from dark clouds. There are moments when I feel as though I am driving through a torrential storm, and as high as the windshield wipers are going, I can't seem to shake enough water off the glass to see. Moments like there are when we are reminded to truly see a clearer path ahead, we must rely on our Savior, Jesus Christ. One very touching story about relying on our brother, and admitting we do need His help is in Mark 9 22 through 24. This is when Jesus comes across a situation of contention between a group of people and His disciples. When asking what was going on, He is approached by a father carrying an afflicted child. ''If thou canst do anything'' he pleaded, ''have compassion on us, and help us. Jesus said unto him, If thou canst believe, all things are possible unto those that believeth. And straightway the father of the child cried out, and said with tears, Lord I believe. Help thou mine unbelief.'' This story truly touches my soul...In the presence of Jesus Christ, this worrisome father admitted his unbelief.

When trials come, our faith is often tested. But what I have learned is that if we have a desire to believe, and pray to our Heavenly Father in the name of Jesus Chirst, asking for help, He will answer us. Many moments have found me on my knees, asking for guidance, asking for help, asking for ways to improve my faith. The beautiful thing is, faith is not having a perfect knowledge of things [Alma 32). If that were true, who would truly be capable of obtaining faith? We can only truly be at peace and clear when we ask in faith. One pearl of knowledge that I have gained are these words from my companion: ‘’If you pray with faith, and you know that Heavenly Father knows you can do it, and Christ knows you can do it, then why not just do it?’’ One of the hardest parts about relying on the Lord is acting on our faith. Praying for guidance and then getting up and walking. It may be fearsome at times, but I know that it works.

Just about two weeks ago, my companion and I had an experience with acting on faith. We were walking in Las Tablas, having just been told that a scheduled appointment was cancelled, we were looking for something to do. Hna. Rodas later told me that as we were walking, she offered a silent prayer, ‘’Heavenly Father, please guide us.’’ Right after, she felt prompted to walk down a street we never had before. We ended up finding Lorena. When introducing ourselves, she finished the introduction for us. Turns out, she is a member of the church! She was baptized at 15, and when moving with her family here to Las Tablas, they lost contact with the church. It had been 25 years since she had gone to church. She joyfully showed us her dusty Book of Mormon and Himnario. The next day, she was 15 minutes early to the baptism, with newly dusted off Book of Mormon in hand. In a later lesson, she told us that she was grateful for us, because she had been praying for a change in her life…and we came knocking on her door.

I know that Heavenly Father is there, and that He is always listening. It is so important to rely on Him and our Savior. When I pray, I picture that He is there with me, along with our brother, His Son, patiently listened, having a desire to hear what I have to say. I liken it to talking to my dad, calling him on the phone when I need help, have something exciting to say, or simply want to express my gratitude.

Even if your flame of faith seems small, remember this: ‘’Even if ye can no more than desire to believe, let this desire work in you, even until ye believe.’’ {Alma 32 27)

Con amor, Hna. Jessica Scott

PS…Listen to the hymn, ‘’Master, The Tempest Is Raging’’…my companion and I were singing this in the morning, and its what fueled the words to this letter.