November 26, 2018 -- God is Good
Eighteen and a half Months later.
My bags are in the process of being packed, I have my flight plans sitting on my desk, and I can count on one hand the amount of days I have left to serve God as a full-time missionary. As expected, this week has been amazing. Jewel has decided on December 29th as her baptismal date, and her husband Roy let me hold a deer heart, which we then ate. It was really delicious, and I fully intend to eat it again. Besides that, this week has been full of heartbreaking moments for me, as I realized that this is the last time I am going to get to do so many things I have come to love--last time attending church with a nametag, last time inviting someone to be baptized, last time tracting... you get the picture.
Five areas, ten companions, a million miracles... I can't believe that I made it here. I hope you'll indulge me with this little walk down memory lane. I'm in a little bit of a nostalgic mood. For those of you who have been getting these emails since the beginning, you might remember all of this. For those who joined later, I hope you enjoy the little look into who I was before we met. I promise you, I am a different person now.
The MTC was such a crazy experience! I love and miss my MTC Companions, Sister Beecroft, Sister Ward and Sister Burnham so much. We really had no idea what we were getting ourselves into back then! I really wish I could go back in time and give that Sister Scott a hug. That poor girl really needs one! I can't believe that there was a time that I didn't have the first vision memorized, or that the thought of inviting someone to be baptized paralyzed me with fear. It was a humbling and instructive experience, and I am so grateful that before the Lord sends us out to the field, he gives us a little bit of knowledge to get us on our way.
Training in Madison... That seems so long ago now! This was one of the hardest times of my entire life. I was terrified there, and I thought that there was no way I could possibly stay out on my mission. There were moments that I almost gave up completely, packed it all in, and went back home. Thanks to the grace of God, an incredible Mission President, Sister Hulstine, and my family, I was able to stay out. I could never, ever, in all of eternity, thank God enough for it. In Madison, I learned how to trust in God that things will work out, even when I couldn't see an end in sight and everything seemed dark and hopeless. Through literal weeks of tears and months of crying out to God in prayer, I learned to give up everything that I love to the God that I love even more. He has never forgotten me for it. (That is a quote from General Conference, but I can't remember the speaker.) I also met David Stanford and James Adderley. I learned to love being a missionary, because I saw how much the Gospel of Jesus Christ changed their lives. You should all see the light of Christ entering into someone's eyes. It is the most beautiful sight in the world. I caught the missionary bug, and it has stayed with me in the 15 months since I left. I am sure it will stay with me for the rest of eternity.
Getting transferred to Fox Run was literally the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I do mean literally. It was there that I met Sister Adams, and she helped me to become the person that I am today. She taught me how to laugh again, and I found out that being a missionary doesn't mean giving up who you are- it means becoming the best version of you that you can be. I got to serve with Elder Calvin, Elder Hirz, and Elder Morgan, and I love them all so much! They are like my brothers. Those were, hands down, my favorite transfers of my entire mission. I met Hayden and Janea Burton and the Pedicord family, and they are such lights to my soul. I also fell in love with the beach, and I am going to have to live close to one later in life. That is where I feel the most like myself. It was so sad to see Sister Adams go home (almost an entire year ago)! When she left, I had the honor of training my first new missionary, Sister Kitchen. WOW did we grow together! I had no idea what I was doing, and I spent every single day praying to God that He would make my little efforts enough. We laughed, we cried, and we worked hard. It was then that we met Autumn Herndon, and I know I have said it many times, but Autumn is the reason that I was called to this mission. I didn't know it was possible to love another person as much as I love Autumn. If I had met no one else and attended no other baptisms these entire eighteen months, Autumn Herndon made my whole mission worth it. I cannot believe how lucky I am to be a part of her journey. She is stuck with me for the rest of eternity if she likes it or not! :D Though I was in Fox Run for seven and a half months, it feels like that time flew by. I can't wait to go back someday soon! My heart longs for Fox Run.
Getting transferred to Pace was so unexpected! Never in a million years would I have thought I would be transferred to the area right next to mine. Plus, I got to serve with Sister Burnham again! We celebrated our year marks together. I was amazed by how much she had grown, and we were both astonished at how far we had come. She is such a good friend, and I can't imagine life without my tallest buddy. ;) She helped me overcome so much, and I love Pace with my whole heart. I met Brother Tom and enjoyed all of his "tom-foolery" as he would call it! It is really nice to have a mission grandpa! I also loved working with the youth in that ward. Sister Shumway coming in was also such a tender mercy!!! We really were two halves of one whole geek, and she has the purest heart. I can't wait to listen to podcasts and nerd out with her in a few months when she gets home too. ALSO, the BREWTON SISTER SQUAD? Sister Shumway, Sister Case, Sister Paulk and I? BEST FRIENDS. I love them!!!
Going to campus was terrifying, but I should never have been afraid. TCC was a miracle, mostly because of Sister Boyce. I don't know what souls are made of, but whatever it is, hers and mine are the same. Talking about life and faith and love with her refreshed my exhausted heart, and I found my motivation and drive again. That was the happiest I had been in a really long time. She taught me so much about dedication, repentance, and hope. If anyone was ever going to teach me how to love, it was going to be Sister Sage Boyce. She changed my whole life. We were able to be there for Markese at his baptism, and I love Markese so much. His matter-of-fact outlook on the Gospel helped me to love it even more. I also met Maddie, Ashley, and Alex, and I love them so much. They helped calm my anxious soul so many times. Sister Case also came to Tally with me, she make my life every single time I see her. That girl is going to be a bridesmaid in my wedding, not even kidding. I can't imagine a better human (besides Jesus Christ). Getting the call to train again was honestly terrifying, but it ended up being one of the greatest blessings of my life. Again! Sister Hamblin is a literal angel, and her understanding and empathy is unparalleled. We went through so much together! We didn't even have an area for three whole weeks! We proselyted without name tags, instituted Repentance Day (October 2nd, mark your calendars!), survived a hurricane, and taught Kaleel and helped him prepare for baptism. That is also when we got really close to the Tally Book of Mormon Squad- Brittany, Erik, Steven, and Will. Wow, those people are absolute best! I loved every single sports night, institute class, FHE activity, and car wash with those incredible friends. I love them all and I cannot WAIT to see them again! Hopefully as soon as possible. Best friends for eternity? Please!
Daleville was the last thing I thought was going to happen to me at the end of my mission. I finally crossed the state line and made it to Alabama! I guess it isn't so bad, though I think I will always be partial to Florida. Sister Smith has been an amazing final companion, and though my time here has been short, I am incredibly grateful for it. Meeting Jewel was definitely a part of God's plan, and though I won't be a missionary anymore when she gets baptized, she is still one of my converts. I cannot wait to skype in for her baptism!
There are no words to describe my thoughts and feelings right now. How can you sum up an entire mission in one email? I cannot explain the indescribable. My heart is full; that is proof enough of God. Jesus Christ is the Savior. His Atoning Sacrifice is real. It changes people, and it has changed me. My favorite line is from a really good church video is, "it is so important that I share that knowledge, because it was hard won knowledge." I promise each of you, my knowledge of the Redeemer did not come easy. It came through years of scripture study and seemingly unanswered prayers. It came through a thousand days of heartache and pain and trials. It has come through eighteen months that I thought I would never survive. And you know what? It is still coming. I may be done with my mission, but God isn't done with me yet. I didn't come this far to only come this far. There are adventures to have, adversities to overcome, years of growing to do- and I could never thank my God enough for it.
My name is Sister Laurel Scott. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I am a Missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of the Almighty God, and that, through him, the Priesthood of the Lord has been restored to the Earth. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know that there are miracles today- I have seen far too many not to. I know that God loves us, ALL of us. I know that God is good. God is SO good. Oh my goodness, the Lord has been good to me! I could spend the rest of eternity on my knees, thanking God for these eighteen and a half months, and that still wouldn't be enough time.
Hey Parental Units! See you Thursday! As for the rest of you, I'll see you soon enough. Don't forget to read the Book of Mormon, okay? It will change your life. I hope you let it.
Remember friends, God is good. God is so, so good.
I love you. God does too. Don't forget it.
My bags are in the process of being packed, I have my flight plans sitting on my desk, and I can count on one hand the amount of days I have left to serve God as a full-time missionary. As expected, this week has been amazing. Jewel has decided on December 29th as her baptismal date, and her husband Roy let me hold a deer heart, which we then ate. It was really delicious, and I fully intend to eat it again. Besides that, this week has been full of heartbreaking moments for me, as I realized that this is the last time I am going to get to do so many things I have come to love--last time attending church with a nametag, last time inviting someone to be baptized, last time tracting... you get the picture.
Five areas, ten companions, a million miracles... I can't believe that I made it here. I hope you'll indulge me with this little walk down memory lane. I'm in a little bit of a nostalgic mood. For those of you who have been getting these emails since the beginning, you might remember all of this. For those who joined later, I hope you enjoy the little look into who I was before we met. I promise you, I am a different person now.
The MTC was such a crazy experience! I love and miss my MTC Companions, Sister Beecroft, Sister Ward and Sister Burnham so much. We really had no idea what we were getting ourselves into back then! I really wish I could go back in time and give that Sister Scott a hug. That poor girl really needs one! I can't believe that there was a time that I didn't have the first vision memorized, or that the thought of inviting someone to be baptized paralyzed me with fear. It was a humbling and instructive experience, and I am so grateful that before the Lord sends us out to the field, he gives us a little bit of knowledge to get us on our way.
Training in Madison... That seems so long ago now! This was one of the hardest times of my entire life. I was terrified there, and I thought that there was no way I could possibly stay out on my mission. There were moments that I almost gave up completely, packed it all in, and went back home. Thanks to the grace of God, an incredible Mission President, Sister Hulstine, and my family, I was able to stay out. I could never, ever, in all of eternity, thank God enough for it. In Madison, I learned how to trust in God that things will work out, even when I couldn't see an end in sight and everything seemed dark and hopeless. Through literal weeks of tears and months of crying out to God in prayer, I learned to give up everything that I love to the God that I love even more. He has never forgotten me for it. (That is a quote from General Conference, but I can't remember the speaker.) I also met David Stanford and James Adderley. I learned to love being a missionary, because I saw how much the Gospel of Jesus Christ changed their lives. You should all see the light of Christ entering into someone's eyes. It is the most beautiful sight in the world. I caught the missionary bug, and it has stayed with me in the 15 months since I left. I am sure it will stay with me for the rest of eternity.
Getting transferred to Fox Run was literally the best thing that has ever happened to me, and I do mean literally. It was there that I met Sister Adams, and she helped me to become the person that I am today. She taught me how to laugh again, and I found out that being a missionary doesn't mean giving up who you are- it means becoming the best version of you that you can be. I got to serve with Elder Calvin, Elder Hirz, and Elder Morgan, and I love them all so much! They are like my brothers. Those were, hands down, my favorite transfers of my entire mission. I met Hayden and Janea Burton and the Pedicord family, and they are such lights to my soul. I also fell in love with the beach, and I am going to have to live close to one later in life. That is where I feel the most like myself. It was so sad to see Sister Adams go home (almost an entire year ago)! When she left, I had the honor of training my first new missionary, Sister Kitchen. WOW did we grow together! I had no idea what I was doing, and I spent every single day praying to God that He would make my little efforts enough. We laughed, we cried, and we worked hard. It was then that we met Autumn Herndon, and I know I have said it many times, but Autumn is the reason that I was called to this mission. I didn't know it was possible to love another person as much as I love Autumn. If I had met no one else and attended no other baptisms these entire eighteen months, Autumn Herndon made my whole mission worth it. I cannot believe how lucky I am to be a part of her journey. She is stuck with me for the rest of eternity if she likes it or not! :D Though I was in Fox Run for seven and a half months, it feels like that time flew by. I can't wait to go back someday soon! My heart longs for Fox Run.
Getting transferred to Pace was so unexpected! Never in a million years would I have thought I would be transferred to the area right next to mine. Plus, I got to serve with Sister Burnham again! We celebrated our year marks together. I was amazed by how much she had grown, and we were both astonished at how far we had come. She is such a good friend, and I can't imagine life without my tallest buddy. ;) She helped me overcome so much, and I love Pace with my whole heart. I met Brother Tom and enjoyed all of his "tom-foolery" as he would call it! It is really nice to have a mission grandpa! I also loved working with the youth in that ward. Sister Shumway coming in was also such a tender mercy!!! We really were two halves of one whole geek, and she has the purest heart. I can't wait to listen to podcasts and nerd out with her in a few months when she gets home too. ALSO, the BREWTON SISTER SQUAD? Sister Shumway, Sister Case, Sister Paulk and I? BEST FRIENDS. I love them!!!
Going to campus was terrifying, but I should never have been afraid. TCC was a miracle, mostly because of Sister Boyce. I don't know what souls are made of, but whatever it is, hers and mine are the same. Talking about life and faith and love with her refreshed my exhausted heart, and I found my motivation and drive again. That was the happiest I had been in a really long time. She taught me so much about dedication, repentance, and hope. If anyone was ever going to teach me how to love, it was going to be Sister Sage Boyce. She changed my whole life. We were able to be there for Markese at his baptism, and I love Markese so much. His matter-of-fact outlook on the Gospel helped me to love it even more. I also met Maddie, Ashley, and Alex, and I love them so much. They helped calm my anxious soul so many times. Sister Case also came to Tally with me, she make my life every single time I see her. That girl is going to be a bridesmaid in my wedding, not even kidding. I can't imagine a better human (besides Jesus Christ). Getting the call to train again was honestly terrifying, but it ended up being one of the greatest blessings of my life. Again! Sister Hamblin is a literal angel, and her understanding and empathy is unparalleled. We went through so much together! We didn't even have an area for three whole weeks! We proselyted without name tags, instituted Repentance Day (October 2nd, mark your calendars!), survived a hurricane, and taught Kaleel and helped him prepare for baptism. That is also when we got really close to the Tally Book of Mormon Squad- Brittany, Erik, Steven, and Will. Wow, those people are absolute best! I loved every single sports night, institute class, FHE activity, and car wash with those incredible friends. I love them all and I cannot WAIT to see them again! Hopefully as soon as possible. Best friends for eternity? Please!
Daleville was the last thing I thought was going to happen to me at the end of my mission. I finally crossed the state line and made it to Alabama! I guess it isn't so bad, though I think I will always be partial to Florida. Sister Smith has been an amazing final companion, and though my time here has been short, I am incredibly grateful for it. Meeting Jewel was definitely a part of God's plan, and though I won't be a missionary anymore when she gets baptized, she is still one of my converts. I cannot wait to skype in for her baptism!
There are no words to describe my thoughts and feelings right now. How can you sum up an entire mission in one email? I cannot explain the indescribable. My heart is full; that is proof enough of God. Jesus Christ is the Savior. His Atoning Sacrifice is real. It changes people, and it has changed me. My favorite line is from a really good church video is, "it is so important that I share that knowledge, because it was hard won knowledge." I promise each of you, my knowledge of the Redeemer did not come easy. It came through years of scripture study and seemingly unanswered prayers. It came through a thousand days of heartache and pain and trials. It has come through eighteen months that I thought I would never survive. And you know what? It is still coming. I may be done with my mission, but God isn't done with me yet. I didn't come this far to only come this far. There are adventures to have, adversities to overcome, years of growing to do- and I could never thank my God enough for it.
My name is Sister Laurel Scott. I am a disciple of Jesus Christ. I am a Missionary for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. I know that Joseph Smith was a prophet of the Almighty God, and that, through him, the Priesthood of the Lord has been restored to the Earth. I know that the Book of Mormon is the word of God. I know that there are miracles today- I have seen far too many not to. I know that God loves us, ALL of us. I know that God is good. God is SO good. Oh my goodness, the Lord has been good to me! I could spend the rest of eternity on my knees, thanking God for these eighteen and a half months, and that still wouldn't be enough time.
Hey Parental Units! See you Thursday! As for the rest of you, I'll see you soon enough. Don't forget to read the Book of Mormon, okay? It will change your life. I hope you let it.
Remember friends, God is good. God is so, so good.
I love you. God does too. Don't forget it.
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