Hattiesburg, MS - Week #14

Mondays are truly the best days!  Last week McKenah asked how she could keep her new converts active and strong in the gospel...

Hey baby girl!

By the time we hear from you this week Bob, your baptism NUMBER TWO, should've happened!  Whoo hoo- how fun and exciting for you to be part of this great and marvelous work! How incredibly lucky you are to focus 100% of your time to the Lord and feasting on the scriptures.  I know it is not easy and I know you went on a mission KNOWING that.  So proud of you and your obedience because that is what will help you the MOST.  And I am grateful for your growing testimony of that!

I saw in your dads post that you were wondering about how to keep your converts active.  Being a convert myself they definitely need to stay your friend.  For as long as you are there, until they meet friends in the gospel "true friends" of their own.  When I got baptized, i had to go to a home ward.  I was 18 almost 19 and I just didn't fit in.  I needed kids my age.  If I hadn't had the chance to attend a singles ward, I may have even fallen through the cracks. So if there is that option for your younger converts, I would suggest that!  I was lucky enough to grow up in Utah where EVERYONE was practically a member and so when I went to the singles ward I had immediate friends.  They may still struggle but it WILL be worth it, and make the transition so much easier!  For your older or maybe even ALL your other investigator/converts I would get together with your ward missionary leader and bishop to see if you could do a monthly activity with them. All of them.  Then all the converts would get to know each other, rely on each other, and have that common ground to relate.  It could be just a root beer float gathering. Play some get to know you games, watch "meet the Mormons" and offer popcorn, I know you don't have a lot of money but your ward missionary fund should have a little.  It could be as easy as holding a family home evening or testimony meeting with them.  Slowly you could invite presidencies of the auxiliaries to come.  They care about the new members too!  They would feel more welcome in an outside setting than just attending the 3 hr block, and they would feel more comfortable around each other knowing there are others "new" to the gospel and it's not just them.  They would look forward to it each month, and so would you!  Just ask your bishop and/or Mission Pres. FIRST if it'd be ok!

Love, Mom

Hey mom! Wow, everything is going great here! It sounds like a lot of crazy things are happening at home too! We are working very hard here, the transfer is coming to an end! It flew by so fast! I think Sister Kendall is going to stay again, she freaking better. I LOVE THAT GIRL! Do you talk to her mom very often? We talk about you two all the time. We want to get our families together when we get home. Thank you for telling me about your conversion experience! It didn't even cross my mind to ask you about it! Our goal as a companionship is to keep our recent converts and less actives,ACTIVE. We want them to be involved! We have asked the bishop if he would be willing to give them callings so they feel included. They have assigned Brandon, and Bob home teachers, and they are excited to start their journey as members. YES BOB IS "BOBTIZED" ! We are super happy and excited about it! He was so ready that the bishop let him receive the Aaronic priesthood immediately that sunday. How cool is that?!

I have a lot on my mind. I want to tell you everything. Something that was hard for me when I first came into the mission field was being myself. I didn't know how to combine my "sister scott" and Mckennah together. I struggled with it for a long time, I thought we had to be robots as missionaries, but what I didn't realize, is God called Mckennah Scott (my personality) here in Hattiesburg, Mississippi. People will be receptive to the things "I" will say. I learned that with Bob. Bob has seen many other missionaries, but when I started to meet with him, he began to change slowly. I said something that struck his heart about a month ago. I was very blunt and I looked at Bob square in the eye and said "what do you want Bob, why are we here". I felt prompted to say that, and the spirit was able to work through him. After that lesson, he told me that what I had said changed him. We as Missionaries (and members) can change people. Even a little spark of interest makes a difference. I was put here in Hattiesburg for a reason, God has reasons for everything we do in life. My heart is full, I have many thanks to give to my father in heaven for allowing me to help in this great work. I LOVE IT. I wouldn't want to be doing anything else. A lot of people here say that "We may be of different faiths, but we believe in the same God". That is true, however, there IS ONE TRUE CHURCH. This is the church of Jesus Christ and he stands at the head of it. I am grateful for this knowledge. I wish you could see me mom..I am constantly growing and changing. I feel JOY. I feel PEACE. This is the gospel of Jesus Christ, we should be happy to have what we do have. I miss you mom! I think about you constantly, I pray for you daily, and the whole family. I love you! I can't wait to hear from you next week!

Hey there everyone! 

I just found out as of Saturday, I have been out on my mission for 3 MONTHS NOW! I am super excited and am very enthusiastic about missionary work! I am loving it! In a couple weeks I will be starting my 3rd Transfer!! This is awesome I love it. My heart is full, I am so grateful for this opportunity to serve my heavenly father. He is blessing me constantly and  I am so grateful for the things that I have been able to witness here on my mission! 

On Friday, I had the opportunity to witness Bob get baptized. He was more than ready for this! I have a strong testimony of this work. I testify this is the Lord's work. I testify that there is a reason for everything we do. There is no such thing as coincidences.I read a super cool story that reminded me of Bob, and that special experience he had. In my personal study today I read in the March 2013 Ensign and there was a story about this man who is the shepherd over the sheep in his backyard. There are 4 sheep that he owns, and his neighbor gave him one of his sheep because he couldn't handle her anymore. So the man said "okay we will take her". After a few weeks of watching these sheep interact he noticed that one of the sheep was left out. She was alone. When the master comes out all of the sheep know that it is time to eat, they recognize the masters voice, except for the one new sheep. The master then walked up to here and said "come on, you are free, come to me." The sheep stood there for a moment, and the master said again "come on, you are free, come to me". The sheep heard him this time and ran towards the master.

 This applies in our own lives. Because of the atonement of Jesus Christ we are FREE. The Savior beckons all of his children to come unto him. He loves us equally, and more importantly he loves us individually. I testify that he LOVES US. He does have a plan for us. That is why missionary work is so important, so we can invite EVERYONE to come join with us. I love you all very much. I am grateful for this opportunity to serve and to love those around me. I can't wait to hear from you all this week! Thank you for all you do!